Wonderful Wonderful Science: Diamond Dust
by chaos-dark-lord
Summary: Sequel to " Wonderful wonderful science "- The foreigner that scientifically unraveled many of Wonderlands mysteries felt into the remains of the country of Diamonds, a land frozen in time. What can she discover there? Faceless started a revolution and because of her, clocks cant be repaired. Hearts and Clover need her, but she is out of reach. Can Alice help ?
1. Chapter 1

**Hello Everyone.**

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**The foreigner that scientifically unraveled many of wonderlands mysteries felt into the remains of the country of Diamonds. A land frozen in time. Faceless have started a revolution and because of the deals she made clocks can´t be repaired. Hearts and Clover need her, but how can the roleholders bring her back when she is out of their reach and doesn´t even want to see them again?**

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This is the continuation of "Wonderful Wonderful Science".

Last we knew the foreigner (self called) "Aria Hadron Scherzi" had coerced all the roleholders into a deal with the devil (herself) that granted her basically a wish from each one of them. An undeniable request in whatever terms and meaning she desires, much to their grim (She also was very mad with them and didn´t plan on seeing the roleholders ever again) in exchange for getting to Alice and save/condemn her during an all uprising turned into a revolution attempt from some united factions of faceless that were tired of being recycled continuousl called out by the former inhabitants from Spades and Diamond countries, and because of this she somehow ended injured and falling through the looking glass...

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**Wonderful Wonderful Science 2: Diamond Dust**

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Julius finally reached his own territory and found it ablaze; many clocks littered the way to it.

Right after he knew Aria had reached Alice, the mark on his hand felt like burning and changed it´s color and shape signaling the end of her part of the deal. Everyone left in the plate disbanded and returned to their groups and/or territories.

Admittedly he wanted to go and search for Aria, but looking at the amount of fighting everywhere around Gowland´s territory he knew that he would have a lot of work to do. Besides, Ace was looking for her… well, the prime minister was too and they had been ordered to ensure the safety of the foreigners.

When he arrived the tower was in terrible shape and he wasn´t unharmed either. It had been unusual for him to actually engage in fighting, but many have come out for him and he had actually struggled to reach his home.

It would take the clock tower several time changes restore itself. It was not the first time the tower had been attacked, but never had it happened during an event. He assumed other territories had been attacked too and had the horrible sensation about how dire Aria had warned them about it. She told them how outnumbered and cornered she was:

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_"…__I am heavily outnumbered and I have _**_nothing_**_ and _**_no one _**_to help me. I'm not even wearing any armor…"_

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And then of course they have jumped to Alice´s safety while Aria was already struggling. Of course she would be mad! But then they…

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_"…__You are risking me for Alice, exchanging my safety for hers. If you are using me as a disposable mock I have no reason to treat you all as anything more than cash cows…"_

_"…__To save your precious Alice I would have to get to wherever she is, and get her useless ass out of danger…"_

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That made it. She tough that they were disregarding her, and of course they had done so in favor of Alice without hesitation. Even Joker´s side of the deal revolved around Alice; Aria had just been a tool for it.

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_"…__Not that you give a crap of how hurt I am or will end..."_

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Julius felt bad, he really did, and he attributed the terrible foredoom sensation he had to that,and he had to admit that he was worried too. But he had much to do something about what was happening in his tower at the moment, so he went into the building to cleanse it of ended up bloodied and once he was done he made his way to his kitchen to prepare coffee for he would need it before going to his office at the top. The only place that was sealed for safety of the clocks.

When he went to his office a scene straight out of a horrible nightmare meet him. Piling up everywhere where clocks. Not dozens. Not hundreds. There were thousands! Maybe even a few dozens of thousands all around brought by the after images! He had enough work for the rest of his life as it was already, so he went to his work table and took out his tools.

The first clock he took had been left to be worked on before the event night and he had no problems with it, but too soon he grew horrified by the fact that he couldn´t repair the clocks that had arrived since the event at the amusement park started.

He tried some clocks that had arrived the day before that and had no problem repairing them; but he just couldn´t do so with the recent ones. He was just about to have a panic attack when the door opened loudly and he found himself pointing his gun at Alice.

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-Julius! What´s happening!?

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He transformed his gun back to a wrench as Alice ran to hug him and put a piece of paper in his hand. Tears trailed down her eyes, she looked really shaken but completely fine and unharmed.

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-_Alice… what is this? what happened?- _He said looking at the piece of paper with a bad feeling about it.

_-I don´t know. Aria made me promised to give it to you fast and somehow I couldn´t do anything else but run here to deliver it._

_-And where is she? _

_-I don´t know_–She said and sobbed a bit.

_-Then how are you here? – _Julius said hugging her strongly. He still didn´t know how to react to a crying girl.-… _Please don´t cry!_

-_She sent me to the prison!_

_-She what!?_

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Julius took a strong hold of Alice´s shoulders to look at her in the eyes and understood why she was so shaken and scared. He released his hold when he noticed he was hurting her and looked at the note. After reading it he understood why he couldn´t repair those clocks.

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-_What happened Alice?_

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The girl told him everything and calmed down a bit after letting it out. At the end of her speech she pondered on what she saw in Aria´s eyes and actions.

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-_ I don´t know where she is right now. But she was injured and looked about to collapse! and Julius… She was really scared and hurt. Not only physically, she also looked just so sad, angry and betrayed. I don´t think she realized it. _

_-That's prospentous – _Julius said more to convince himself than to reassure Alice- _That woman is incapable of feeling or caring._

_-It´s not! She really was. Is it true that you send her alone to get me? _

_-She went herself for profit._

_-Then why had she being crying!?_

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Julius hadn´t expect that and he found it hard to believe that Aria would have such reaction. He really didn´t want to believe it because it was easier to think of her as completely unfeeling rather than thinking that they, that he, had hurt her. But there was no escaping it. He told Alice of the deal Aria had made with them.

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_-I´ll take you to the hatter´s mansion or hearts castle. – _He said and escorted Alice.-_ It´s not safe here._

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Aria had felt some impacts while her suit was rearranging the neural connection with and within its user and then she felt herself hugging her kitten against her chest while she was falling after being shoved through the mirror by the deranged kid, who had cling to her after receiving some impacts himself, luckily none in a vital area.

Her suit was still managing the life support and signaled her of the damage and injuries she had received, she felt a crawling in her and she saw a dart incrusted in it while her vision got blurry by the second. She removed it and a dark liquid dripped from it´s tip letting her know why she had started to feel very dizzy and even worse than she already had been. It was poison.

She felt the grip on her waist and hips loosening and saw the back of the kid getting red from his own blood loss and a couple darts stuck there too. She took the darts off his back while they were reaching the light at the bottom of the tunnel.

He had saved her. And given her luck and considering the fact she was poisoned too she would need him. She knew she was already injured before that and the effects of the energy and performance enhancer drug she had taken was fading now. She would not be conscious for long and she didn´t knew either what awaited her at the bottom. She was in no condition to heal herself much less the kid. But she had discovered a way to improve a faceless healing a lot, she had seen it with Biggs and Wedge when she discovered her version of "foreigner´s love" . She had concluded that all her cells had that capacity, even her blood cells (**_Who would have though that the tantrics were right_**)...

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-_Hey kid!-_ She barely said, feeling her strength leaving her fast.

_-urgg… lady… _

_-(__**Good, he is conscious**__) Listen… I´ll give you energy. When we get down take out the bullets from your body and drink a bit of my blood. It will help you heal. Then get us to safety…_ - She said and focused all her determination into the kid, it was her will to fight and survive. Even if was a sad excuse of artificial love, it was still part of the energy that feed wonderland and its magic.

-_But…_

_- It´s an order._ _Live and_ _help me live and get away…_– She poured her intent on the kid as much as she could and then lost consciousness thinking of how funny without humor it was that she was trying so hard to stay alive for the sake of dying in her world.

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The sensation he felt was engraved in him. It was as strong as that time she had played with him for the first time if not more. It was powerful and beautiful and made him feel whole and loved. He didn´t remember it being like this last time she played with him. He felt strong and alive, it was a rush of joy he had never experienced. His clock went ahead a bit more but it didn´t hurt him as much this time or he was perhaps too enchanted to notice it.

She had ordered him to live; he didn´t have a choice it was her wish and command. He had to obey everything she said, he had vowed to do so and wonderland would enforce his plead. And he would do so as best as he could, no matter if he was damaged goods or if he was small and foolish and had escaped a terrible roleholder or had bothered the other foreigner. Despise everything she had given his own pathetic existence a chance.

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_-I will_

_-Meow_

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And finally the reached the bottom and landed in a very cold place.

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Joker was incredibly angry, busy and frustrated (and just maybe worried). Things have spiraled out of control very fast and even two of him wasn´t enough to get all the rule breakers of that night. All territories had been attacked during the event. That meant that there were offenders all around wonderland at the moment. And he wouuld have to deal with the fools season responsibilities too!

He had to send his mirror back to his territory too and he needed to get the information about this and all responsibles to impart punishment as needed. Of course that last one was becoming very difficult because ****** everyone was being slaughtered in the fightings and when he was getting close to capture someone many faceless had dared to kill themselves before he had managed to get them alive! Which infuriated him. Thus his capture rate had been very low and the person who he suspected knew ALL and exactly WHAT was going on (and most likely had something to do with it) was completely out of his reach, she was wounded and hurt and he could do nothing about it! He didn´t even knew where she was! That frustrated and put him in an even worse mood.

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_-She has a ****** lot of explaining to do. - _He growled and his counterpart agreed.

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It was also that he found he was at odds with his duties. She was undoubly involved in all the chaos and maybe even responsible for at least part of it weather she had been dragged or if had jumped into it. He would interrogate all his new prisoners and would find out (he was really interested in the part where she was loving some faceless mob and had played everyone all along). But she was also a foreigner and she was outside of the rules and out of his jurisdiction. However in any case he would have the chance to lock her up away from everyone, one way or another and get her once and for all under his control.

His friend should be grateful that he was willing to lock her into safety...

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-(_**When did I actually ****** accepted her a friend!? **_) – Joker stopped his rampage for a second before going even more wild upon his realization.

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The partiture (minus the top 2 mobs) and some of their allies from Diamond ended up waking in the building of the train station. It was of course deserted. It looked abandoned and haunted, but it also look as if it had been left behind recently and not as long as it really was. It was not dusty or crumbling but did gave a sense of coldness that combined with the dense mist outside gave them chills and formed an eerie environment, as if time had stood still in a really sad day.

They figured that the rest of their forces have probably landed in other parts of Diamond. And without Aria, Biggs or Wedge the leadership fell on Lily. She recalled what their dear boss had taught them and rather than go out and look for everyone she decided to set a base camp, amass and count their resources, which was a really good decision as there was a big diorama of Diamond country in there that they could use to get oriented and sent search parties with beforehand maps. That would prove to be a big advantage over the foes that had followed them through the looking glass that ended up dispersed through the land in the hatter's territory in Diamond.

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Grey kept looking for Aria around the amusement park for a while without luck; the smell of blood and gun powder, all the clocks at every corner, the explosions, combats, chaos and fires amongst the general mayhem that made her trail told him what she meant by "not a direct fighter" . He had been an idiot for not understanding it. As a former assassin he should have known.

He remembered a conversation with her once upon a time when she shared with him her last cigar.

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_-Unlike an assassin I can´t avoid collateral damage. I´m a mercenary, I´m more likely to be the cause of it._

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But this had not been entirely her fault. She had been caught in the middle of whatever plot the ones who attacked had and they, all the roleholders, had been oblivious to it and to her.

He was sure that they had lost whatever little trust and confidence she had given them and damn had it been hard to gain. She had made sure to tell them that she didn´t want to see them again and he understood it.

Back in Diamond when he decided to quit being an assassin after becoming Nightmare´s nanny he decided to follow his boss to Clover when the teen had become the ruler of said country.

There he found out that the incubus assistant was the other version of himself it was a bit shocking but he had already decided and so he killed his other self and took his role here and faked that he was the Grey from clover. When he started to impersonate himself he had a hard time managing to relax and trust anyone for the sake of faking being a calmer version of himself. He was sure Aria had been passing through something like that too; but being cornered and then being thrown into the fights (continuously apparently, he realized) by the people that she was just barely starting to open up to had been a hard blow. She was not to blame at all.

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He reunited with Nightmare and they headed back to Clover via the clock tower.

Julius was not there and the amount of clocks pilling up was disturbing. Once they reached clover, Nightmare´s fears that another kind of war had started were confirmed and he knew for sure that Aria was not in Clover, she was unconscious and all his attempts to reach her had been futile as always. He admitted to himself that had always scared and attract him about her. A dream where he didn´t have the control was scary, but no dreams at all was more so and counted as a terrible oddity; he felt threatened by it and somewhat by her but also it draw him to her. He could not read her mind, he could not see her memories and he was unable to reach her in dreams.

Not even outside of the dream realm did he had advantages. A woman so in control and secure of everything about herself couldn´t be intimidated by his nature and never was she lost or indecisive, so selfish and so selfless, dangerous but in constant danger unlike the other foreigner. She wasn´t needy and was extremely capable, so there was little if anything that he or anyone else could offer or tempt her with. Once during the slacker´s club reunion she had said it, she was "_alone but not lonely_". She confused him but she was cool too. Now he needed to figure out what was really going on.

He may be a demon but he wasn´t sure what she was or how to treat or respond to her. He knew that they would need to find her, it was part of their duty to help her reach happiness and stay in this world. But would they be able to or was it better to let her go?

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Biggs and Wedge had landed in a graveyard and were were sad knowing that Rolf had been killed. Sure, he would be replaced like all of them but that didn´t mean his loss didn´t hurt. It was sadly ironic the place they had landed.

Yet, they didn´t have time to waste on mourning, cause they knew that their foes would probably follow them soon. More importantly she was hurt and who knows where she had landed. They needed to find her and the rest of their own.

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The castle of hearts have perhaps been the best defended territory if not the least attacked, and although there were still attacks and combats around it, the castle itself was secure despite some damages caused by well placed bombs. Many heads would roll for such.

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_-I think you own us an explanation your majesty_- Vivaldi told the king.

-_I think not your grace.–_The king answered before turning his back and marching to deal with his duties as king.- _We all must perform to our duties and responsibilities._

_-Then know that her heart has closed and there aren´t likely any key able to open it again_. – The queen forwarded and the king stopped for a second before continuing his pace.

_-That monstrous villain of a woman having a heart? Impossible!... Urrgh!_

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Peter barely managed to avoid being cut in half by Ace´s sword but he didn´t avoid the cut on his shoulder or the hit afterwards as the knight continued to attack him with a hardened and murderous gaze accompanied a serene smile.

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_-And it seems that your own clock is in denial White. – _The queen responded, not interrupting the fight.

_-Oh? Does Sir Peter has a secret crush on someone different than Alice?_ – Ace asked mockingly nkowing very well the gossips going around the castle.

_-You´re one to talk! But it would be one such as you to desire such a vile being! –_ Barely fending the attacks the prime minister managed to respond while shooting at the knave who parried easily even at close range.

-_I don´t deny it – _The knight of hearts said with one his trademark goofy smiles accompanied with a slash from a second sword that he took out from nowhere. – _Even if my mercy got rid of Alice._

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-_Stop it you two! ... Show us the back of your hand knight -_Vivaldi finally decided to step in. – _Your other hand!_

_-How is that possible!? She was supposed to have saved Alice! – _Peter ungloved his own hand to confirm again that the seal of his own deal was there.

_-So she found a way to save and doom Alice! Ha,ha,ha that´s my smarty mercy songsty! – _Ace found it incredibly funny.

_-You both have duties to attend, go forth now and end those who dared attach us! - _Without more, Vivaldi turned and left them.

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Neither Peter nor Ace wanted to go and perform their role´s duties obviously. Peter wanted to immediately go and search for Alice and Ace wanted to go to the clock tower to check on Julius. But they didn´t have a choice and until they finished with their duties in hearts they couldn´t leave.

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After being unable to figure which control room Aria had been at her last transmission Gowland had finally sent Boris and Pierce to check them all while he and the rest of his employees went to destroy the attackers. He knew that neither Alice nor Aria were at the amusement park anymore, but he didn´t knew how they had disappeared from it just like that.

The level of destruction was something he hadn´t seen in Wonderland before, clocks and debris littered the streets along the fires, the little unusual rain had ended fast and it was still too soon to count the damages. Even more so because he was incredibly busy finishing the remnants' of the attackers and dealing with the costly and devastating results of the attack for his beloved amusement park had become a war zone. His only solace was that Blood had been attacked too.

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The hatters were literally fighting their way back to their territory. They already lost many of the faceless that had gone with them to the event and they were being attacked continuously.

While looking for Alice, Blood had only stopped to sight in relief when the seal on his hand changed. But when Dee joined them he had a somber and terrible expression and was surprised that they didn´t. He showed them the back of his hand and none of them could interpret what has happened. How could Aria have both saved and end Alice at the same time?

In any case they were not going to remain there. Blood wanted to return to the mansion right away in case Alice had gone there, if she was not he was determined to find her; but along the way they were constantly attacked or run into battles everywhere to Blood´s distress. And once they managed to get back they found that they were being attacked directly too. Not just the mansion, but the territory in general.

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**Wow! what a start!**

**What do you think about everyone's reactions ?**

**I hope you enjoy this . I´ll incorporate the wonderful ideas you gave me and I will appreciate all your comments. Trust me, all your reviews always make my day and give me motivation to write faster.  
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**Hopefully I will have less orthographic and grammatical errors too XD**

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	2. Chapter 2

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**CHAPTER 2**

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The seed of doubt had been planted in Alice´s mind by Aria by the mere power of her conniving words and wicked truths.

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_-"Your game isn´t completely over. Blood has not committed to you and he cares so little that such was what he offered in payment for my lowly job tonight. The rest are pathetically still lingering and chasing you like mutts would for a piece of tender meat."_

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Alice started suspecting once again that Blood was toying with her, keeping her to be displayed as a trophy showing that he had won the game.

What had Aria meant when she said that Blood had not committed to her?

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She was not ready to face Blood yet, so Julius took her to the castle of hearts with Vivaldi instead of the mansion (neither Ace or Peter were there as they were "attending their duties") and then leaved her to return to the clock tower.

Vivaldi was relieved and happy to see her well and wanted to know what had happened with the other foreigner but there were simply too many things to deal with and she was forced to tell Alice to remain in her (well-guarded) guest room until she too had finished with her royal duties; after that they would have time to speak.

Meanwhile, in all the territories of hearts and clover the attacks continued but were starting to become less sporadic but even more violent and suicidal as the perpetrators continued dying and their numbers thinning. It soon was obvious that clocks were not being repaired; partly because the clock tower was under siege and Julius had been forced to fight back himself leaving him no time to repair anything and partly because he was unable to repair a whole lot of clocks in any case thanks to certain foreigner that nobody knew her whereabouts or pondered about them. Yet.

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Bunsen woke up curled in his owners hand against her chest. She was asleep but didn´t look good, she was breathing fast and her chest was going up and down so much that it was uncomfortable. his human was not waking up and neither was the play thing he had brought her and that was curled against her too.

The kitten tried to meow his discomfort and worry, he tried to lick her awake scrapping the dried blood from her face in the process but to no vail. He tried clawing the the small human to wake him but it was useless too and the poor kitten was getting hungry. So he decided to leave them rest while he took charge and went to explore, maybe he could find food or some of her other human toys and pets that belonged to his human.

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The partitura was examining the big diorama of the country of Diamonds in the train station and had sent a few explorers to check things out but without going to other territories yet.

They returned with almost the rest of their forces but neither Aria nor Biggs and Wedge were found. What they did found was that the place was completely deserted. A sort of fog or mist had fallen over it and prevented anyone from looking into the distance. To all purposes the place looked dead and they didn´t even knew how long have passed since they woke up.

Their allies confirmed that it was so, the few that actually were old enough to have been in Diamond and remember how it was told them as much as they could about the place and how different it was from whatever was happening at their return, they also seemed very eager to go and find the missing foreigner. Balzac, who over the time took charge of intelligence operations, found that suspicious and set up a couple of his intels to keep an eye on their allies. Meanwhile the gunslinger Alhambra had discovered the trains and lily remembered that the violent trigger happy man had a perch for mechanics and vehicles.

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_-Seeing you checking the trains reminds me of that time everyone discovered you´re interested in mechanics_ - She neared him with a smile

_-It was pretty embarrassing that time the boss found me bellow one of the trucks and though I was dead or … _

_-We all thought you were. Seriously, sneaking into the garage at nights and ending up sleeping under the truck. That was the best scolding I´ve heard the boss said.-_she laughed at the memory of it._  
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_-That gotta be the worst scolding the boss could have said !– _Alhambra said with a tint of red in his cheeks.

_-It was funny, but it was amazing that she had actually worried. But that´s our boss. No matter how much she says she doesn´t care she does worry and takes care of us in her way. _

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Lily laughed remembering how their boss had tripped over the half of Balzac´s body that was out from bellow that truck. Their boss had immediately called out the alarm because she had tough that they had been attacked or robbed and someone had been killed. But it had just been that Alhambra had been checking, tuning and "improving" their vehicles at night (or rather messing with them and then trying to fix whatever he hadn´t manage to do) and had fallen asleep (bare-chested and covered in grease and motor oil) under a truck. Their boss had gone on a rampant scolding that even the most shaming mother wouldn´t have use on their adolescence kids, claiming that if he was "jerking off" there he should as well go and get a prostitute instead and another place, and then proceeded to list the brothels under their control or those that were safe and were willing to go with whatever fetish he had, a list of clinics that could help him if he had some sort of problem like erectile dysfunction, and that it was not so bad that he had to hide and so on. It had been so funny that even Balzac laughed (because at that point all the lullaby had gathered and were listening to everything) and once the humiliation was too much to bear Alhambra had screamed what he had been actually doing. Making her boss look at him in that inquisitive way she had and after a "_And why didn´t you told me_?" proceeded to take him to her office and graced him with a few books on mechanics and machinery that she had just gotten printed on their recent editorial and book printing business and gave him her blessing to continue tinkering (and a list of "safe" prostitutes too just in case).

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–_You think you can do something about this trains? If what the Diamond´s said is true, these can take us anywhere. It could be our ticket back home. –_ The female said starting to thinking of a contingency plan.

_-Maybe I can, and it would be good to keep it secret from_ the _Diamonds. There was a reason the boss didn´t trust them completely_ … _What would the boss do?... Well, assuming she didn´t knew already_ – he said looking at the machine.

_-She would look fort the manuals. – _Lily responded after pondering it a bit.

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The kid woke up still clinging to the unconscious foreigner trying to get a bit of warm from her in vain,but her armor was made of something cold. He instead cuddled around her seeking a bit of guilty solace.

He still felt dizzy and in pain for the shots he had received and was barely able form his own thoughts. Sudden pain clogged and numbed his mind as his own clock went backwards along with his time. It was painful but less than what he had felt before meeting her again (How long ago had they fallen though that mirror?); it was bearable this time and served him to focus enough to grasp the general situation.

They were in a big and cold library of sorts. He had never been in one but he knew that they were filled with books. It was dark, spacious and chilly and it scared him. His ragged clothes could do little to help him keep his heat and the body by her side wasn´t offering any warm either.

Her armored suit was cold on the surface and she looked ill, breathing fast with her mouth half open while her chest signaled the constant effort by moving up and down noticeably. He gazed upon her form and saw that her face had been cleaned of the dried blood he remembered having stained her cheeks. Now he could really see her face and wanted to reach for it. To touch around her closed eyes and lips and know she was real. He was mesmerized and kept looking at her, hypnotized by the strength and frailty of a foreigner.

He almost started crying again at how fortunate he had been for receiving her pity and then he remembered what she had ordered him. He bit his lips and took out a small throwing knife to dig into his own flesh to take out a couple bullets from where he had been hit. Even if the pain was much he wouldn´t have been able to stop himself, she had ordered it and wonderland was making sure he complied with her wishes. He rested a few seconds while the cold air licked his open flesh and then took her cold hand into his and saw where a dart had pierced it. He saw the dart hitting her hand just before falling though the mirror with her and now it was gone, but in her other hand she was still holding a couple of darts that he knew had been in his own flesh.

She had saved him again, she had accepted him, had taken off the darts of his back and had done something to make him feel better and heal enough to survive. He comprehended what he needed to do next. He didn´t liked it but knew he had to do so; With his trembling fingers he used his knife to open off a cut that ended up being bigger than what he wanted because he also missed and hit an artery. He reached for her open wound with his mouth and put his lips around it. He tried to suck the poison out but it had spread already too much, so he followed her other order and began first licking and then drinking from the wound getting himself dirty with the red substance that kept on flowing at the fast rhythm of her heart pumping the blood out.

He was disgusted with himself even more than before, not only was he broken and useless, he was hurting her and even dared to drink her precious blood, a foreigners blood and life; even the tough was a taboo as big as doing something to someone´s clock; it disgusted him even more how good he felt about it, how the pain in his damaged clock seemed to lessen and how sickly sweet it was that she had ordered him to do so.

He even felt the precious beating of her pulse in the flood of the ruby substance flowing through her veins and pumping with every beat of her heart; not the sickly steady tick-tock that people from wonderland had, that he didn´t even had anymore as his clock went unsteady back and forth randomly. She had a real heart in her chest and he even got close to try and listen to it, an action just as taboo as what he had done alerady, a privilege reserved to roleholders and not even all of them, something meant for the winner of the game. This offense was unforgivable, maybe he did deserve to be thrown in the prison, and if she wanted she could do so, but she needed to wake up and he needed to be alive to protect her until she got better and if she allowed him, he would until his clock finally stops; this were his thoughts until he fell himself better a while after having fallen asleep and waking up again.

He was feeling better than he remembered, but she was shivering and looking so pale that her skin had a tone as white as the frost in the windows or the marmol of the floor. Even if her hand and other wounds had stopped bleeding it had apparently been after drenching his already useless clothes. He checked her forehead and moved back immediately. She was on fire and didn´t know what to do. He had seen a couple faceless getting ill at the circus and dying because it was easier to replace them than going to a doctor. But she was irreplaceable!

He leaved her there and went to see if he could find at least something to cover her from the cold or someone to help them.

.

* * *

.

It was impossible to determine in what time change the country of Diamond was or if it was in any at all.

Biggs and Wedge had moved out of the graveyard and had moved in silence through the deserted streets and parks invaded by the eerie darkness and the unsettling fog that didn´t allow them to see far and made it impossible to know how many time changes had passed already (_**AN: imagine the fog world of any silent hill**_) . They kept on the move until they stumbled upon a big and magnificent looking building guessing it was the main building of the territory and the place where the ruler of it used to reside; upon entering they discovered it was an art gallery or a museum as empty s everything outside.

A bunch of the walls were empty and the framed silhouettes remained where paintings should have been. Upon further inspection they did found some art pieces, mainly the ones too big to be moved. But it was one that was worthy of attention because it was covered in a thick layer of ice that had too engulfed all the room where the painting was.

Bellow the ice one could still see that the piece of art was a painting with a top view of a of coliseum arena with big birds flying above it. The room looked a bit damaged too and in it´s center a single clock rested.

Wedge got the impression that the state of this part of the building was of importance and so was that particular painting but could not determine why, and they didn´t have the time or energy to try and figure it out, so he and his friend moved on and reached the offices of the museum.

They entered the director´s office and in the adjacent room they found the remains of a broken mirror.

.

_-You think this is…._

_-No doubt. I think we should take the pieces with us. The boss will know what to do._

_-Ye..yeah…_

_._

They were still affected by losing their old bro Rolf and were just coming to terms with it and the situation of being in a country that was supposed to be dead and gone. They didn´t want to think that their beloved boss was hurt and maybe dying somewhere in this cold and isolated place. Instead they focused on short term goals and moving fast. They needed to find the rest of the lullaby and partitura, and their boss and they couldn´t leave the pieces of the mirror that was used to take the people from Diamond to Clover and Hearts so long ago just lying around there. They made a sack with the curtains in the office and put there the broken shards, the pieces were big enough and it was obvious that only the piece their boss had used to connect the countries was missing.

.

* * *

.

The young boy found out that he was in a castle or palace. He had gotten out of the library and ended in a long hall that led to a throne room, in the stairs that led to the throne he saw the first sign of another being in the place, a black bunny with dropped down ears that had been encased in ice trapped in the act of jumping forward towards the hall, it had a surprised and worried expression in his mismatched eyes.

The kid examined the bunny but found that the ice was thick and strong and too big for him to crack even after kicking it down a couple of stairs, however and more importantly, he found some clothes over the imposing looking chair that was the throne. They were useless for his mistress, for him but they were fine even if they were big, that made it better because he didn´t know when he´d grow older and could be adjusted if he got younger. So he took of his bloodied rags and threw them over the bunny icicle and put on the clothes, then went looking for any room that could perhaps have a bed with covers and sheets he could take back to the foreigner.

He was away from the throne room when the blood of the ragged fabrics started to impregnate the ice and this started disappearing slowly at a melting rate.

.

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* * *

.

.

**And now she has another thing in common with that kid , no amount of therapy could ever help them. Seriously, poor kid, but considering that he would have ended up dying anyways at some point in the circus…**

**But now you know where everyone landed (and how bad Aria can be at scolding XD). **


	3. Chapter 3

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**CHAPTER 3**

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* * *

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The hatters had finally cleared most of the attackers in the territory close to the mansion and were allowed a brief rest to count the damages. They had lost many of their personnel and were heavily understaffed, not to mention that the material damages had been enormous and only the fact that the amusement park had it worse lightened the mad hatter´s mood.

Blood Dupre had wanted to go and search for Alice but the fights had been too heavy and constant, no doubt had his territory been one of the most attacked; he would have ditched staying to defend it once he had managed to regain the mansion and confirm that Alice wasn´t there, but Vivaldi had sent him a message telling him that Alice was safe at the castle.

.

_-Now what Blood?_ –The loyal second in command said.

_-Stay and take care of things. I´m gonna get my runaway lover back._

.

Elliot smiled and went to check on things while Blood took off in the direction of the castle of hearts.

.

* * *

Blood arrived to the castle, sneaked towards a particular dining room, and entered demanding to see Alice (just like Vivaldi had told him) . There, the queen had been dining with Alice in privacy as the knight was nowhere to be found and both the king and prime minister were still attending their duties.

.

-_Blood!_ – Alice rose up from her seat at the sudden entrance from the mad hatter leading to a storm of emotions invadeding her.

_-We´ll leave you two alone_. –Vivaldi primorously used her napkin in the corner of her lips and leaved the room so that her brother and Alice could settle things.

.

The silence was tense. The doubts Alice had all came back to her mind. Did Blood wanted her only as a prize? Did he loved her only because she was a foreigner? Did he even cared for her? What had he given to Aria? Would he drag her back to the mansion if she didn´t want to? Would he… would he kill her?

.

-Alice…

.

Blood got close to her and before the young foreigner could take a step back he hugged her tightly.

.

_-I´m sorry. Please forgive me. Come back with me, I love you._

_._

Alice remained unmoving for a few seconds, thinking about everything before returning the hug. After all, she did love him; but of course he would have to explain some things to her and they would have to speak and settle the issues that had led to their temporary separation. This time she wanted things clear and Blood would have to learn to behave himself and his jealous and controlling sprouts, Alice would make sure of that. But first she wanted to settle things.

.

_-Blood… my game isn´t over is it? – _Alice needed to know this before going further.

_-Who told you that? – _The mafia boss said with a hint of worry in his voice.

_-Tell me. What exactly did you use as a payment for Aria?_

_-That woman! Alice don´t believe anything she says. She´s just a…_

_-No! Tell me – _ Her eyes were becoming watery. She needed to know that he was truthfull and that her love was not going to be trown away once more.

.

Blood knew that it was now or never. He got on one knee and took a hold of her hand. This was something he would never regret. In the beginning of course Alice had been a mere price, but in the end it was her who captured his clock. She was still young but she was a lovely, nice and caring woman, someone true to him. She didn´t care that he was the mad hatter, the head of one of the most dreaded mafias in this world; to her he was only a man named Blood Dupre and she had given him her love and was giving him a change even if at times he had wasted such precious gift.

He understood it the moment he made that deal with the foreign mercenary. Alice had been in danger and he had been useless to save her this time. When she forced him to promise upon his connector and the seal on the back of his hand changed marking the deal he would have to fulfill, he got scared that he would be unable go further in his relationship with Alice, previous to that he hasn´t been sure he actually wanted to go further with the foreigner, but upon the possibility of never been able to do so, the desition washed over him like a bucket of cold water. His clock was set firm on the realization that he indeed wanted to be by her side til the day he died. And now he should formalize it. Sure, Alice would like some sort of ceremony like the ones in her world to make it official in her terms, but (assuming she accepted it) his connector was enough for him and this world.

_._

_-Alice…please accept my connector. Marry me._

.

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* * *

.

.

Meanwhile in the castle of Diamond a lone but frantic figure had discovered where the rooms were and had stripped them of blankets and sheets to take them back to the library to the ill looking foreigner. He had come and gone all the way a couple times and were on another trip when passing by the throne room again he noticed that the pile of his discarded old clothes were not on top of an ice popsicle but were over an unfrozen bunny.

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_-Food!-_ The rabbit was bigger than the ones used in the magic acts at the circus, and since it had been frozen then it was fresh, right?

.

Upon examining the furry form he noticed it was still alive. The boy first was happy because it mean that it was indeed fresh, then he considered that it was still very cold and very soft. He then though that he shouldn´t be wasting time fooling around when his mistress was in distress.

.

_-She can use a pillow and when she gets better we can eat it!-_ He merrily said and took the (heavy) bunny in his arms still draped into his bloody cloths so that it would get warmer for when he put it bellow her head.

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* * *

.

While the young boy had been running from one side of the castle to the other a brave kitten had ventured into the unknown dark and cold territory where they had landed. He had gone up and down and may have gotten a little lost while exploring but he had also discovered many interesting things.

For starters he got to the upper parts of the castle and saw that all around it a HUGE ice wall surrounded the place. Since he didn´t like the idea that they may be trapped another investigation was due, but along the way our brave fuzz ball went through a room where movement caught his attention, it was one of those windows that had images that humans liked to have in walls; inside it he saw a bird fly by and being a curious kitten he jumped inside it to chase it until he found himself in an underground cave that was lined by glowing crystals.

.

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* * *

.

.

Julius had been fighting for a while endless waves of attackers; they were either targeting him, the tower or the clocks that were rapidly accumulating there, all the local population had been wiped out, joined the attackers or ran away. He was dealing with this alone and although he was used to been awake for long and thus hadn´t sleep in a while now he was already too tired, so much that he was drinking some cold coffee that had been lying around in wait for the next attack to happen; it was a relief when he saw through a window the very familiar cloaked figure that started to dispatch the foes outside, however it didn´t escape his notice that the masked person was even more brutal and erratic in his movements.

.

_-Julius!_ _Are you alright? - _Ace came to Julius side and sighted away the worry in his eyes when he saw the mortician alive but still asked with obvious concern.

_-Yes, I am_, What´s happening?

_-Everyone´s being attacked. - _ Ace smiled and tried to reassure Julius. He then looked at the enormous quantity of clocks waiting to be repaired– _Wow! those are many clocks!__ Hundreds? Thousands maybe? … __If only half of them are because of her then this is gonna be expensive. _Don´t worry,_ now that I´m here you can start working on the clocks... __wait… Why aren´t you working on them? __:D_

.

The mortician gridded his teeth and following Ace´s gaze turned to look at the piles of clocks that clocks that kept on arriving. He had never seen that many clocks at once, and even if he worked nonstop without rest he would still be unable to repair them all at the rate it was needed.

.

_-I can´t…_ - Julius said between his teeth and Ace noticed his friend´s nervous and tight grip on the cup of cold coffee– _I am unable to repair them until she says so. That was her undeniable request._

_-__HA,HA,HA. So everyone will be even more short on staff pretty soon!_

_-Don´t laugh! __We need her back! – __The mortician was_very nervous and the knave´s attitude didn´t help his mood.

.

The knave smiled in that misleading way of his before taking of his cloak and throwing it on a chair, then he went to lay on the same coach where she had examined his clock when he met her for the first time.

.

-_Need? Wonderland needs her. But do WE? Do YOU Julius? Does she need it? Does she need us? Does she want us? Do we want her to need us?- _Ace´s maniac grin looked even more psychotic than usual to Julius in the dim light reflected by hundreds of broken clocks.

.

Julius gulped down after the brunette´s words and sent his cup crashing into the wall surprising his friend who remained silence while Julius got a grip of his own temples and closed tightly his eyes.

.

**JULIUS POV**

**.**

No she doesn´t. She doesn´t even want us! Why would she? She probably only wants to get away from us. And I… I did it again didn´t I? I didn´t even considered that she may be injured… by what Alice said…

Why didn´t I see it coming? She had opened up to me in a few ocasions. I should have known it...

**.**

**END POV**

**.**

_-Alice was here?_ – If Alice had been here how did Aria fulfilled the contract with the him, knave asked himself?

**.**

The mortician proceeded to tell Ace what Alice had said while Ace listened to everything.

The knight looked at his friend and at the clocks all around. Personally he didn´t give a damn if no one ever got restored and if this world ended, but this was no good for Julius, and he didn´t like seeing Julius like that. There was also the sensation that he was actually worried about the strange foreign girl that had made his clock and Julius´s clocks fall deep into the game on a strange and undefined level that felt different than with Alice.

For what Alice had said Aria was in need of help but was very unlikely to even appear to get the medical attention that she had obviously needed. They had failed. He had failed; as knight he didn´t went to save the distressed damsel, as the executioner he didn´t killed those who caused her to be in danger, as a friend he hadn´t come sooner to help Julius or even considered her state before doing that deal.

.

-(_**tsk! Such a failure.**_) _Julius… go to sleep a bit. It´s obvious that there will be reunion soon. I´ll stay here to keep guard and see if she comes._

.

Ace said and Julius spaced out a little more before going to his bed. There was nothing they could do for the time being so he might as well get some rest while he could because he knew that problems were just starting.

He crossed his office in the direction of the door to go to his room but was held back by Ace who pulled him onto the couch on top of him so that the clock master could use him as a human pillow.

.

_-Just rest here. _

_._

_T_he knave said not as an order but as a plea and the mortician knew it was no helping it so he accommodated himself in the coach to try to sleep while the knight kept on guard.

.

_-Julius… I want her back. I never got to spar with her…_

_._

The mortician didn´t answer, he didn´t know if he wanted her back too.

.

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* * *

.

.

The prime minister of the country of Diamond regained some sort of awareness, it was not as if he felt sore, cold, hurt or anything, he just couldn't feel anything at all and his mind state couldn´t count as consciousness either. He didn't have the energy to move or to think, so he just lay there unable to move when someone took a hold of him and dragged him somewhere, the movement was rough enough to knock him out again.

The bunny later on woke up with something pressing over his tiny form. His mind was still numb and he felt his body just as fuzzy but he welcomed the physical pain cause it meant that he was alive after all and was slowly regaining his senses. After a while his memory brought back in a hazy dream the events what led to whatever was happening to him.

.

**FLASHBACK**

.

_-We must do something Sydney. That man must be stopped !_

.

The child form of the queen of Diamonds said to her prime minister; Both were alone at the throne room, they were the last people alive in the castle, the rest had vanished or had been frozen by Crysta when she called everyone left to gather in the ball room.

.

_-But what are we to do your majesty? If he dies then everything is lost and he is going to disappear anyways_ – The man with black rabbit ears and mismatched colored eyes said.

-_Then we´ll trap him!-_ The queen knew that they didn´t have much time.- _ I´ll add him to my collection and that way he won´t vanish._

_-But if you face him and do that you´ll…-_ The prime minister was fully aware of the consequences of his queen using her powers in such a way.

.

She was already weak from freezing everyone in the guise that if they were frozen then perhaps that would give them more time to act, but the time of the country of Diamonds and theirs had run out some time ago. There was little they could do.

.

_-I know. That's why I must think this carefully. You know what would help me think? – _She directed a strange gaze towards the furry.

_-What my queen?- _Sydney said serious but one could see the worry in his eyes.

_-Easy. Take of all your clothes!_

_-WHAT!? – _The monocle the bunny was using fell from his place and bunny gave as the bunny gave a startled yelp.

_-Do so now, we want to pet you_!

_-You should have said that in the first place. I can transform …_ - The black rabbit said while starting to let out a breath of relief.

-No. We want to pet you in this form. We´ve always been curious as if your tail is just as fluffy.

_-But…_

_-No buts! _

_._

He was quite embarrassed but did it anyways. He took of all his clothes one by one and threw them over the throne under the scrutinizing gaze of his queen until the only accessory he had on himself was his monocle that he had set in its proper place over his eye.

At this point it didn´t matter, they were sure that Diamond was soon to disappear like Spades had, yet he would perform his duties and follow the queen´s orders until the last minute, and if he could give her such small pleasure he would. Even if it was due to her fixation with cute things and fluffy critters she had openly appreciate him and had never commented or demise him about his defect in color and eyes (maybe except her preference for white color), admittedly that had been the most kindness he had received in contrast to the rejection of his own kin, even if the childish queen had her clock as frozen as the unlucky things in her collection.

Besides, she was very good at petting him and he would like to be pet before all this came to the tragic ending they had foreseen.

Once the bunny could feel the chill of the environment over his naked skin Crysta got close and got older before circled him to pull on his fluffy tail with one hand and used the other to gently caress one of his ears.

.

_-Oh! You´re just as cute and fluffy_ _no matter what form you take_! – The queen expressed her childish approval and continued to pet him earning a small grunt from the bunny who was enjoying it until...

_-CRYSTA! _

.

The bunny lightly jumped when the woman´s hand leaved his ear and traveled down to his front and started circling his belly getting slowly down, never leaving unattended his tail.

.

_-I said I wanted to pet you and I´ll do so. Once I´m finished you will transform and I´ll pet your bunny form like I always have _– She said dropping completely the magnificent "we" from her form of speech but keeping her words as cold as they had always been.

-_Yes, my queen_ – Sydney gulped down.

.

And after she was done he indeed took upon his animal form and she pet him until he started to doze. At that point she woke up and turned to leave the throne room but the sensitive ears of the bunny caught on it and he woke up to try and reach her only to be frozen by her power unable to listen completely to her words.

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_-This is all we can do and we shall do so. May we achieve our plan and may Wonderland unfreeze the time we encased in our ice. _

.

**END FLASHBACK**

.

The bunny blinked when the weight over his body shifted. His vision was blurry but he could form enough to know he was in the library and had been tied with rags that reeked of blood and his body was being used as a pillow. He was still very weak and needed to rest, so he doze off while discarding the sound hallucination of something that went bum-bum; a sound he had heard only once and that had belonged to a girl named Alice.

.

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* * *

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**HALLO!**

**Once againt he connectors (idea from peekodemeeko12 )come into scene and Blood Finally proposed to Alice. And Alice game finally is completed. **

**We are also seeing how bad things are going in Hearts and Clover but Diamond is not better either. **

**For what the game shows Crysta didn´t care for him, well, at least no more than as a pet or a toy (And Vivaldi uses Peter as his work slave XD ).But yay, Sydney is alive.  
**

**Any ideas on how the roleholders might try to get to her? please?**


	4. Chapter 4

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**CHAPTER 4**

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* * *

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Things were starting to calm down, but they were way too calm, deadly calm in fact; and it was so because the population was dropping in numbers very fast and their clocks were not being repaired. Julius had tried to repair them continuously but he was unable to. Ace had stayed by his side taking on whoever dared to attack the clock tower and was currently roaming around the territory while the mortician waited for "her" to appear but she didn´t.

Yet, the current peaceful and lonely moment was deceiving like the calm before the storm, for every period of calm then came a wave of attacks, more violent but progressively less wide and it was so among all territories in Clover and Hearts with all factions fighthing, not only where faceless attacking the roleholders but they had also lashed at each other in an attempt to gain power or revenge. Things were out of control.

Finally Gowland had gone in person to see if anything had happened to Julius because he wasn´t getting his replacements.

.

_-Julius you´re ok?_ –The marquees asked with worry once he stepped into the tower.

.

The mortician raised his tired and worried gaze from another failed attempt at repairing clocks, he had already repaired all clocks left from before the concert night and now he couldn´t repair any other, he knew it was futile but still he had tried.

.

_-Gowland? Have you seen Aria?_ - The clockmaster asked.

-_Not since the concert event. Seriously man… are you alright? There hasn´t arrive any replacement for my workers yet- _Gowland moved his eyes from a very tired and worried mortician to all that surrounded them_ - What´s up with all this clocks!?_

_._

The amusement park owner saw the humongous piles of clocks filling up the place thorugh every corner, it was the scariest and most distrubing thing he had seen. In front of him there were hundreds or even thousands of lives. Had Aria been there she would have perhaps compare his reaction and the proportion to the concentration camps of ww2, but she wasn´t there and that was the problem.

.

_-Just that pile over there are the ones we´re paying her for. Have the cat or the mouse seen Aria? – _Julius motioned to a huge pile and asked with a bit of hope that was soon shattered.

-_Not that I know of. Why? You mean she has not appeared to count how much she´s earning? Is she in danger!? Well, of course she is! Battles are still breaking out everywhere, she´s probably hiding away and… OH MY! JULIUS! YOU´RE WORRIED ABOUT HER! I knew how you fell for Alice and I approve your feelings for Aria … _

_._

A sudden shine reached Gowland´s eyes. Alice´s game have finally been concluded! They had all sense it like a wash of relief. He wasn´t happy that it had been Blood but he was happy that Alice had finally decided to stay in Wonderland and happy that the urgency ended and at last; Well, not exactly and not completely, there was still the other foreigner and the marquees was sure that the game would now be completely focused on Aria.

.

_-I understand. She´s a nice girl bellow all that armor and paranoia. But this time you can´t stay just there doing nothing Julius. I know that she has gotten a liking to the most unsuspected roleholders. Man, you need to be more foreward, she wont notice if you just look at her longinly and do nothing. Have you even ask her out or anything? now that I think of it I don´t think anyone has ...  
_

_-Gowland Stop it! –_ Julius forced his friend to stop. Maybe he was really worried for her but there were more pressing matters _– I´m calling a Council._

.

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* * *

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At the train station in Diamond Nora, other female memeber of the partitura, was telling Balzac all the gossip she had gathered; which quite frankly wasn´t much nor was it interesting. The only thing certain was that they couldn´t get out of the station´s territory.

.

_-You think she´s fine?_ – Nora asked the stoic man.

-… - He didn´t answer because he didn´t want to think on the worst possibilities and changed the topic.- _What have you gather about our allies loyalties?_

_-A bunch of them seem to respect and like our boss. At least the ones she led in combat during the park raid. The rest seem to hide something and whatever it is is related to something somewhere in this country. Of course that I´ve been spreading even more stories and at least a bunch of them are in doubt.  
_

_._

Nora was quite the chatty and dreamy girl. She had been the one to explain the romantic aspects of the game to their boss and fantasize about the foreigner´s possibles romances with every male she seemed to interact with to the point that some fiction was written and shared with other girls. After all, their boss was an amazing female all by herself, and as a foreigner the possibilities of the game made for very good material for those romantic girls that were hooked on gossip and romance stories.

It happened during an occasion when Nora fell asleep on top of her (secret) recently written (erotic) story involving the foreigner and a faceless despite the odds and the interfering roleholders, when said foreigner and her boss had came looking for her and had read that story out of curiosity (Berceuse said it was because she was mumbling quite the interesting stuff). Nora had been waked up by her boss who had her story in her hand and a strange look in her eyes. Nora thought that she would be executed horribly for writing that.

Amazingly enough, her boss complimented her and asked her if she had other stories, which she did (and various actually involved the roleholders, sometimes more than one at the same time), and she was asked to extend them a bit into light pink novels and pass them to their editor so that they could be published anonymously and spread among the population creating a not so underground phenomenon that was lucrative enough and even served them as propaganda.

Her boss asked her to spread those stories as gossip too and explained about the values of misinformation. The more stories the less facts but more myth; if everyone taugh they knew where she was then no one could know where she actually went.

Once she had done that, the editor also wanted mroe stories involvind every roleholder and Nora happily led her imagination flow into a small series titled "a foreig tale", although Berceuse seemed to be unaware of those.

That´s how while Balzac was the information expert she became the main misinformation official.

.

_-You think at least Biggs and Wedge are with her?_ – Nora started and Balzac knew that he had been dragged into one of her one sided conversations. _-I really nope so, but I wish they were all here. We can help too._

_-They are not the only ones that love the boss –_Balzac pointed out the obvious. And continued to hear her chatter without interrupting her.

.

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* * *

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It was the first time that Julius Monroey had called for a meeting. Not only was this a meeting, it was a "Coucil", the type of meeting that all role holders HAD to attend no matter what and calling it was bound to have dire consequences one way or another. None of them would call a Council unless it was practically the end of the world as they hate each other so much and they were forced to attend meetings at other moments anyways; but then again, it was the first time that Clocks weren´t being repaired so it might as well count as world ending circumstances.

Everyone had come in a really bad mood because they were still being attacked in different parts of their territories and had been forced to leave them barely defended to attend as stated by the rules. Not only that, but their own forces were being killed fast as the wave of insurgents grew with reinforcements. Few people would even consider helping them and many more would prefer to see the role holders dead; since faceless knew they were probably going to be killed anyways they would at least throw their fury and indignation against them or against anyone and have either joined the battles or helped the revolting masses; either that or those who actually feared getting killed remained neutral and away from the conflicts leaving many places utterly abandoned.

In any case it seemed that soon the roleholders would have to fight alone these battles if they didn´t receive their replacements soon and rumors had already spread far and wide that clocks were not being repaired (and to prevent the clockmaster from repairing them the clock tower was being constantly attacked). And those were not the only rumors running around, some regarded the missing foreigner as part of this conflict and the victim or instigator of this. People had heard that she disappeared the night of the concert at the amusement park because the roleholders sent her to die because they preferred the first foreigner and ditched the other; or that she had been set aside and forced to fight supporting the faceless since the beginning (and even had a faceless lover); there were many rumors and all very different, but almost all coinciding that it was the roleholders that had pushed her to danger and possibly her dead. And EVERYONE, faceless and roleholders, had heard those rumors.

.

-_Why aren´t you performing your duties mortician?_ – Elliot was quite angry_.- Instead of wasting our time here you should be repairing the clocks!_

_-And why do you think we are here!? – _Gowland defended his friend.

.

Everyone kept bickering and insulting each other until Vivaldi finally grew tired of it.

.

_-STOP WITH YOUR BICKERING AND LET HIM SPEAK YOU FOOLS!_ – Her voiced resounded in all the place accomplishing a pause that Julius would have taken to speak if Nightmare hadn´t interrupt first.

-_Tell us Julius. What is happening? Are clocks being repaired or not?_

.

Julius remained silent for a few seconds that served to make an unintentional dramatic pause.

.

-_No. They are not. And there are thousands already pilling up. And that is because __**I. can´t. fix them.- **_That was it. Better to be direct in this issue so that they could progress (although he doubted they would) and find the missing foreigner. _**  
**_

_-WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU __**CAN´T**__ FIX THEM!? WHAT DOES ARIA HAS TO DO WITH IT!? –Nightmare screamed after reading his thoughts._

_._

There were a few seconds of silence before the room exploded in more discussions and Vivaldi had to intervene again and Julius explained slowly so that they would register it.

.

_-It was her undeniable request. Clocks can´t be repaired and people replaced until she has been paid the death count of the mercenary service for the concert night and until she says so in whatever terms she considers_.

.

Of course he didn´t told them what exactly she had demanded and he would not even think about it because he didn´t want Nightmare to know that the note she had sent him with Alice had basically said that she could undeniably control and order him about the repairing of clocks in whatever terms and means she wanted, and that the first order for that was that she was to be paid as agreed and he could not repair anything until she said so. A little precaution to reinforce her chances of surviving that she had added as a PD at the bottom of the note.

.

Everyone´s exclamations of surprise (and in some cases indignation and anger) filled the place. No one had expected that Aria would do something like that. It confirmed her claim of being a master of cruel and unusual punishment and a force to reckon if she wanted. She was smart, she was knowledgeable and she was willing to take things as far as needed. A fearsome oponent if needed. Whatever were their previous impressions of her they had to admire her forethought and paranoia fuelled actions as much as her lack of scrupules.

.

_-Then we can kill you and let the next mortician fix the clocks – _The prime minister said and pointed his gun at Julius earning a hit in the back of the head by the queen before Ace could behead the bunny without her authorization.

_-Quiet White! It would be useless to kill him. The contract was made with the role and the next holder would have to follow it. – _The queen was fast to point how grant was the issue. She had forced them to make the deal to be sworn "by their roles" – _And don´t even think about killing her. That would be just prevent the clocks from ever be repaired._

_-Has anyone seen her? – _Boris asked the obvious and a collective no was mumbled. If all that was needed was her authorization then they just needed to find her and ask her to…_. (__**oh my catnip….oh no..**__) – Do you think she is still mad?_

.

Those questions filled them with worry. Mad was a light statement. Things like "Oh fuck!" were more along the lines of their thoughs. They knew by now that if she didn´t want to be found it would be impossible to do so, they had all tried to look for her at some point or another and had used all the resources at their disposition and yet none of them had succeed. She had also confide in some of them her ability to move between battlefields undetected and how she was actually used to it, even used that to her advantage.

More so than anything it was clear that she not only didn´t want to be found but didn´t want to see them again either and trying to force her would only complicate things even more as Blood proved when he ahd provoked her.

They started to discuss whose fault was it, how to look for her and where they had searched in the past when suddenly everyone stiffed and shut up. The next moment they felt it, sudden jolt of pain and agony that ripped through all their clocks at the same time as if the little machine had been stabbed.

.

_-DID YOU FELT THAT!_ – One of the twins asked his brother

-_WHAT WAS THAT, CHU!?_ - Pierce shrieked

_-Is she…!?_ – Ace started and his smile faltered

_-HOW IS IT POSSIBLE!?_- Grey turned to nightmare.

_-What´s happening!?_ – Alice asked, clearly confused by the sudden silence and terrible expressions on everyone´s faces and by Blood´s sudden action of holding her by the shoulders protectively and with fear.

-_Sis… Aria… …. Big Sis just died… a couple times…_ - It was Dee who answered her.

.

From the shadows, a single red eye and his owner had seen and felt everything and decided it was time to act. He now knew why his mercenary foreigner hadn´t claimed her prizes and payments or hadn´t gone back to her world yet despite how things went. It was because she was dying somewhere else and was so bad that her heart hadn´t been able to cope and had stopped.

.

.

* * *

.

.

At the castle of Diamond certain black rabbit was regaining strength and was conscious enough to ponder about his surroundings. He didn´t knew what happened after his queen froze him but somehow he knew that the amazing fact that he was alive and not a bunny popsicle anymore had to do with the ill life form currently using him as a pillow and the kid that had been coming and going from the library bringing covers for the shaking body on top of him.

He had barely opened his eyes to see anything, but he had heard the kid and the sound of a beating heart near him had lured him to rest a few times already as much as it has welcomed him back to consciousness; however the sound was also worrying because it had been going fast like her breath.

He had learned that over him laid a "she" because of the smell and because he had managed to turn enough to see "her" face turning to the side in her restless sleep and "she" didn´t look good at all. He could smeel blood, chemicals and sweat covering her scent almost completely and for whatever little he had seen of her, she looked as if she was fighting to remain alive but was losing and it was only a matter of time before the inevitable happened.

Upon seeing his surroundings he spotted some darts in her hand that had dripped some dark substance to the floor, concentrating on the small of the dark ooze he recognized the substance. It was a strong poison and it was certain that she would succumbed to it soon; how she had endured it so far was a miracle on its own.

He knew that the answers to his questions laid in that foreigner and the faceless kid. The answers about what happened after he was frozen, how had he been released from the ice and how the hell had they entered Diamond. It should had been impossible! Diamond had been cut off from the rest of Wonderland and was inevitably fading away. How had a foreigner entered if there was no one able to bring her? Alice had come and go when they haven´t even realized something was wrong. So how had she made it there?

There was also the small issue that it was thanks to them that he was alive. Had the kid not taken him to be used as a pillow he would have died anyways. And it was strange because he felt himself been restored faster just by being there, sot therefore his survival was still at stake and he depended on them too.

A sudden fatal moment later something made him lose all thoughs about anything else. In a terrible second, the sound of her heart stopped.

.

.

* * *

**.**

**.**

The movement in the lullaby´s headquarters was frantic. After the concert event they had gone into hiding as berceuse had ordered. Then things went to hell everywhere and no one had seen their boss, the partitura or the other teams since that night.

It wasn't that surprising considering all the uprisings everywhere, and in any case , their boss had prepared the lullaby for a situation where nether the boss or the tops were present.

That meant that Riza was in charge. She was the older of the two girls that had survived the attack in their base at the amusemnt park after which the partitura was formed and the foreigner ahd made it clear that she worried about the lives of her subordinates. Their boss had praised both girls for surviving and coming to report the attack by letting them choose their next job at whatever they wanted. Her younger peer had become the other gossip girl besides Nora and she had decided to be of help in the headquarters (an remain away from combat). She had become a personal aid and assistance for Wedge and their Boss (whenever she was around).

Of course their boss had supported her and had trained her in arts different than combat, economy and business had become her main focus (as a gift her boss had provided ehr with a mini library of books of all the needed topics) and their boss had been clear about giving her capacity to take charge if Berceuse, Biggs and Wedge were not around. So currently she was taking Berceuse´s place. And if for some reason their boss didn´t come back (or rather when that happened), there would always be someone to take charge, and as one of the most strict things their boss has established was that the lullaby´s boss was to be referred as "Berceuse" and "Berceuse" was to always be female.

.

.

* * *

.

.

**MWAHAHAHAHA! I´m evil, arent I? X)  
**

**Does anyone have a guess of what happened to her? I´ll give you a clue. Why do you think drinking more than 1 red bull in a single day or using it instead of water for the morning coffee is a bad idea? **

**And Yay! Sydney´s awake and know we know partly why it was so hard to find information about Aria´s goings. She made sure to spread misinformation (OH THE POWER OF FICTION AND GOSSIP!) XD**

**And I still (desperately) need ideas as to how the roleholders may reach Diamond once they know where she is. Talking about Diamond, in that place it is a couple years after Alice visited it. (I made a one shot regarding Grey and my crazy idea about that time called "Lizard´s tale". I think The Grey and Nightmare from clover are actually the ones from Diamond as Diamond happened in the past but it did happen) and Aria landed a couple of years after Alice left when things have all ready scalated to the worst and few rolehoders remained there.  
**

** Please help? **


	5. Chapter 5

.

**CHAPTER 5**

**.**

Dead.

She was dead. She had died a few seconds ago.

She had died a couple times...

DEAD!

Dead and they couldn´t comprehend how. Her heart had stopped beating and then after one beat it had stopped again and then after a moment of terrible expectancy it had continued to beat.

That should have been impossible. A clock stopped was a person´s dead. But she didn´t have a clock for a heart. She had a real heart and they didn´t knew how it worked or what could happen to it, they were lost about it and they couldn´t do anything either.

.

* * *

.

**BLOOD´S POV**

.

I knew it but didn´t felt it. I couldn´t help myself and forced Alice my way to check that she was alright. Which thankfully she was. What if her heart stops like that!?

I couldn´t stand to lose her.

And even if I would like Aria dead I can´t let that happen either for Alice´s sake. At least not until things go back to normal and I would have to find a way to bypass what she made Alice promise.

I however do applaud her cunning moves. Maybe I should have hired her to do negotiations rather than goofing around the drug lab.

.

**END POV**

.

* * *

.

**GREY´S POV**

.

What was that!? She´s dying damn it! What if someone shot her heart?! What if she´s bleeding to dead!? What if…!?

NO!

I can´t lose control!

We need to figure out where she is and then go and help her. She needs help! I… I need to trust that she´d be strong enough to survive until she can be helped… but… Damn it, Aria!

…But it won´t be so easy, will it? I don´t think she´ll let us close. Former employers, current treats…

Sorry Aria, you may not want me close, but if I have to rough you up to help you, I will.

.

**END POV**

.

* * *

.

**JULIU´S POV**

.

Aria! She…. She seems to be still alive somehow. And Alice seems alright too…

.

-(_**Troublesome woman!**_)

.

And I can´t do anything… Her heart cant be repaired… Not that I can repair anything right now.

I feel so useless! I AM useless right now.

We Do need her…

Ace does not seems to be taking this well either…

.

-_Need? Wonderland needs her. But do WE? Do YOU Julius? Does she need it? Does she need us? Does she want us? Do we want her to need us?_

.

Do I? Aces echoes resound in my mind.

.

_**(I… I want her back and safe. I want her safe even if she does not come back. Even if she doesn´t want or need us.)**_

.

**END POV**

.

* * *

.

**ACE´S POV**

.

I think Aria almost shattered Julius´s clock… His miserable look is cute but I don´t like it that much. I would rather have him angry and screaming my or her name, either on top bottom or middle I don´t mind.

She´s such a distressing dame but she´s OUR dame in our happy trio none the less. We have already shared the same bed and she has never said "No" and that is a "Yes".

As a knight I can´t let her in distress, can I? But if she shatters Julius clock or mine then I´ll probably have to shatter her.

.

**END POV**

.

* * *

.

**ELLIOT´S POV**

.

Wha! Now what do we do!? Blood looked very worried for Alice. Thank wonderland she is fine. But Aria is not! And we need her back. I don´t want her dead, but I don´t think Blood will take this lightly … she´s dead anyways ain´t she?

I never considered how mafiosa a foreigner could be, probably no one did. And I don´t know if it´s good or bad that she is a fricking phantom that can´t be found.

I just hope she has more extra tricks that don´t endanger the world.

.

**END POV**

.

* * *

.

**GOWLAND´S POV**

.

This got out of hand, didn´t it? I knew all along that something was happening, but I paid it no mind. I was too excited with the event and all the improvements she could do to really ponder all.

Thinking about it she always remained somewhat distant. Mechanically efficient and cold when working, while eager and passionate at researching or for fun stuff. She was like the impersonal personified.

I also thought she was getting along more personal with some other roleholder (_She seemed to have gotten along with the most unsuspected ones like Pierce, Julius or (gulp) Joker_), and maybe she did but not in the way things were supposed to happen in a game. I also heard from some of my employees and clients that she had been working for different factions, including minor faceless businesses. I thought nothing of it, foreigners are strange in that kind of way.

When the thing at the karaoke bar happened I was surprised at her political insights of declaring herself neutral. I considered she had been smart to ensure everyone that she would try to stay away from the confrontations in this world. But it seems that she ended up in them anyways and we dug our own grave without knowing that she had been playing in a completely different league all along. She warned us and we didn´t heard her. Now we can´t amend things and everything´s gone to hell.

I know that not everything is as bad as it seems. Well, at least the real game starts now and with higher stakes it's sure to be fun. That if we manage to get her back before wonderland runs out of people.

**.**

**END POV**

.

* * *

.

**NIGHTMARE´S POV**

.

NO! She can´t be! She´s going to make my clock stop from worry!

I never expected something like this could ever happened. A foreigner learning so much about this world to the point that she could turn the tides and manipulate everything like this.

I didn´t even though she would last lost in this world without roleholder´s support, I shouldn´t have underestimated her. I thought I was just playing with her like everyone else and I didn´t see for her beyond using her skills to skip work.

It scared me that I couldn´t know her thoughts, it scared me that she didn´t need us. Maybe if I hadn´t been such a coward and had gotten closer to her, gotten more involved…

Since the first moment she appeared in person at the tower I wondered why Wonderland would have brought this strange foreigner. But this world´s will is sometimes incomprehensible even for me and even now I still don´t know what´s the deeper meaning or needing of her presence here.

I was relieved that she was fine and alive but I was already suspicious because I couldn´t enter her dreams (_**What kind of being doesn´t dream!?), **_She had been so weary and paranoid of everything… but she also proved to be quite helpful and nice in a way very different than Alice.

At all moments I knew that she was fitting here perfectly, before any roleholder knew, she had already made a place for herself! And she had done so without doubt or hesitation unlike Alice´s lost ways despite her assurance that she was going back to her world for whatever reasons she considered her duty; more so, she has fit without our help, but along the way she had made some of us need her and had got us interested and as curious about her as she was curious about this world.

Now we are stuck in this situation. I already checked with almost everyone in their dreams and we don´t even know where she stayed all the time she wasn´t with roleholders… not even faceless seemed to see much of her.

Yet it´s and isn´t our fault. It´s sour to think it that way but it´s true. We were never there for her when she actually needed it and she got hurt because of that, how could she ever trust anyone with that past of hers and with all the dangers she faced here!?

It´s not as if we chose Alice just because, it couldn´t have been different.

Why? Because Alice´s game was still going. Not because of her, but this time because of Blood. Even if she had chosen to stay, Wonderland hadn´t accepted it yet unless she had someone's connector; a safe back in case she changed her opinion. A permanent union that would tie her to this world forever. And because of that, the effects of her game were still lingering and ensuring that she was considered first, more so than Aria´s seemingly unfeeling ways. Few noticed it, the feelings for Alice had become real during her stay and for many, the feelings imposed by the game were at least latent till needed. But when Alice´s game ended the game immediately wanted to make it up to the neglected foreigner and the game for her heart is to be more dangerous and obsessive… poor Aria. But if she truly can´t love then it´s for the best that she goes back to her world as she planed, even if it´s only to die.

A foreigner that won´t choose a lover while all players would be in love with someone that can´t love anyone back… a game that would never end…

And yet, I´m also in the border of preferring that to her dead. Have I fallen that far too?

.

**END POV**

.

* * *

.

**BORIS´S POV**

.

How can this be? … Doesn´t matter. Alice is fine and now Aria gets her turn.

If I break the rules can I bring her back and correct everything? Heck, I don´t think I´ll have to break the rules. As things are I´m sure that they will give me permission to connect doors in their territories and get her back. I just need to know where she is.

.

**END POV**

.

* * *

.

**VIVALDI´S POV**

.

…. We´ll force the truth out of the old fool! He knows a lot more than he lets on. We are not blind to his causes but we must follow our guise and deal with her closed heart. We shall find a way to open it again and there are suspects that may be willing to try… if only she were to give a new change…

.

**END POV**

.

* * *

.

**THE TWINS´S POV**

.

**DEE:**

**.**

Oh no, sis… ! You can´t die. We still have a lot of games we wanna play with you!

As soon as we could we went looking for you because sis Alice was fine. But not even the chiky rabbit managed to find where you were staying… And we couldn´t either… But you have to come back, right? You´re gonna come back to get your money… right?

.

**DUM:**

.

Oh no, sis…! Damn, we can´t go and find you… and I don´t think the boss will let us go and get you… or will he? At least we taught you a trick or two with knives. I hope that helps you until we find where you are. I also hope the boss won't cut my bro´s salary because of his side of the deal.

.

**END POV**

.

* * *

.

**PIERCE´S POV**

.

CHU! Rondo, are you all right? Where are you? I looked for you everywhere but I couldn't find you. After the concert I kept looking and found your scent and parts of your trail mixed with the smell of blood, chemicals and smoke. I could almost taste your anger and despair in the air! And you used your funny medicines too!

You told me that you avoided using them unless you were really desperate, and you said that it was bad for your health and heart. Was that that just happened? I don´t want your heart to stop, chu! :(

You're the only one that likes me. Even Alice grew apart when she learned what I do for the hatters… And I really like you. You let me see all the wonderful places you visited in your world and all those funny stories! You even let me hear your heart when you were sleeping and the secret of your names.

.

**FLASHBACK**

**.**

It was during one of our movie nights, chu. You were already quite sleepy when I commented about a character.

.

-_What? _

_-Huh? Nothing , chu. Dis I said something wrong?_

_-No, it´s just that I used the code "Vector" for quite a while. Enough for me to get used to be called by that._

_-Vector?, Oh, that´s right you used various names!_

_-Yeah… Hey Pierce… why do you call me Rondo? Not that I mind but I was wondering._

_-Because an Aria is a lonely song and Rondo is a happy one (__**And I don´t want you to be lonely**__). Have you used many names?_

_-I wouldn´t call them names, just codes I use for every new mission or deal or whatever. I´ve used so many that I can´t recall all of them._

_-And what about your real name, chu? _

_._

She turned to look at me harshly. Her eyes were scarier than the cat´s and her silence was worse than thunder.

_._

_-Eeek! I´m sorry, please don´t hate me! I…_

_-I can´t recall it. –_She turned her head away.

_-Chu?_

_-I can´t remember what my name was. I know that it was very long like the ones used in my land but… right after my funeral I did the best I could to erase that piece of data in case I was ever captured and then I used so many codes that all of them became irrelevant and there was absolutely no way to recall the first ones including the original ones… It´s fine. HEY! GET OFF ME!_

_._

I simply gave you a hug because you needed it. I was expecting to be kicked away; to my surprise your attempt to pry me off was not even half-hearted and you even let me gave you a kiss in the cheek.

**.**

**END FLASHBACK**

**.**

I don´t want you to die, chu…

.

**END POV**

.

.

* * *

.

.

The prime minister of hearts was frantic and edgy. He had been very unnerved since the fool´s season started and Alice´s game was finally completed.

His tears have fall from his eyes freely when Alice accepted Blood´s connector. She may not have chosen him as it was supposed to happen; but she was happy and that was all that he cared about. He had been afraid that if Alice accepted anyone else´s connector he would forget his love for her and all her precious memories but it hadn´t been so, which proved that his love for her was true.

However, he found that even if his love for Alice remained pure it was not so needy, clingy and desperate; As if knowing that she was with someone that she loved and loved her back and would protect her from harm gave him a sense of relief. A signal to let go, but that had not been the only thing he had felt.

Soon he knew that not all precious memories were happy, At least not when it came to that other barbarian of a foreigner.

Peter White, prime minister of the country of Hearts was supposed to encompass the foreigner´s most precious memories, that´s why he was Alice´s "warm sunday afternoons"; when her sister sat with her in the garden and read her stories. On contrast, Aria had as her most treasured moments "dark stormy nights"; terrible tempests when rain hit the ground with rage.

Not only that, but those could hardly be called memories and only on the basis that there was no other word close enough to describe what they were. They were the knowledge that something had happened, but there wasn´t images of it or any feeling attached whatsoever, and that was disturbing for the white rabbit, it was like knowing a story because you have read it.

Some of her best moments were in front her gadgets (she had been either making or playing video games) or while visiting exotic places while backpacking ; vast castles, natural wonders, ancient ruins.

The ones that weren't that, were pieces of remembrances carried on with dignity and kept as valuable experience.

Such make the red eyed bunny reconsider some of his opinions about the being self-called Aria Hadron Scherzi.

.

**FLASHBACKS**

**.**

* * *

**.**

A little girl was cradling the corpse of a brown bunny with floppy in her arms. Her almost teary eyes were looking murderously at an older woman. She had gone a few days to visit her cousins and had wanted to take her pet with her, alleging that parents would forget about it and the poor bunny would be alone too and that the weather channel had said it would be raining. Of course they said that such wouldn´t the case and that the bunny would be fine.

.

_-Don´t worry dear. Well get you another one!_ – The woman told the girl happily as if the issue it wasn´t such a big .

.

She didn´t want another bunny. To her, "Pachoncito" the bunny was irreplaceable. Even if she got a "replacement" it would still not be her Pachoncito. She didn´t knew why her bunny died, but it was her fault for leaving him and trusting someone else for something so important. She would never make the mistake of trusting other´s promises lightly.

**.**

* * *

**.**

It was night already and the storm outside was raging fiercely. The personnel of the old library had left hours ago and never noticed that a little girl had sat alone in a secluded dark without the unwanted interference of nosy living beings.

Once she finished her book she finally took notice of how late it was. Instead of panicking, she calmly went to put the book back in its place and then considered that she was alone in the most beautiful place ever. So she went to the section with the old books that she hadn´t gotten permission to see as they were like old and really valuable and she was just a "careless child".

She was really annoyed that the place was so unguarded. Few security cameras in the wrong places and no guards! Anyone could steal all that precious knowledge! But she just wanted to have a look at the books. Then she made her way out of the building through a window in the staff´s bathroom and went home walking under the rain with a wonderful feeling of accomplishment while the water and wind hit her hard. She enjoyed it quite a bit as no one was on the streets and she could savior her accomplishment .

Of course the next day she had a terrible fever and was sick as hell, and having learned to rely on herself for a while, she took her piggy bank and crawled to the doctor by herself (_few countries have social services or anything like that, hers didn´t and the doctor bought her "mom and dad are working")._

The fact that she had been so self-reliant made her proud of herself. After all, you can only count with yourself in tough times.

.

* * *

.

The young girl was at school refusing to work on a team for a project.

.

_-Can´t I work alone?_

_-It a hard project that´s why it´s done in teams… - _The teacher tried to convince her.

_-Then let the lazy asses work in groups. My project will end up being better anyways. They aren´t up my level so I better do it alone.-_ She firmly believed in the "If you want something well done then do it yourself"

_._

A collective indignation was raised and she didn´t comprehend why they were complaining if it was true.

The teacher knew that having her on a team would be troublesome because of her arrogance. No matter how well she performed she expected everyone to work as hard and obviously respected no one either.

The teacher wasn´t in the mood to argue (a teen so rational and logical was scary). So instead, it was best to just let her work alone. The other student's didn´t take lightly how offensive she was to them and tried to sabotage her and corner her in the back of one of the school buildings. However…

.

_-C´mon. You know my work is far better than yours. You can just admit it and I will kindly do your work … for a little price of course._

.

And she did, for several of the teams. Of course being the emotional beasts that teens sometimes are, they still were very nasty, which she didn´t care to even notice making them even more angry. But when they tried to sabotage her again she showed them that messing with her was a bad idea when by the end of the term she demonstrated how no one but her had done projects by disassembling them and showing prove that all the internal components belonged to her and by the date printed on the images posted months back on the web along with the photos of her working on all the stuff.

That only earned the hatred of other students and quite the scolding from the teachers for having cheated everyone and treating them in such a terrible way.

She was angry.

How dare the teachers made her look like the bad guy when she had been the only one to actually work and completed really good projects?!

How did the fools dare to stand for those pathetic lazy asses! They were nothing but future cheap labor force or meat for the grinder of a corrupt society!

If the teachers couldn´t see that and do something to force them to improve, then they weren´t worth the tittle of teachers either. They were nothing but useless scum.

And of course her rant only worsened things for her. But her rage served to fuel her determination. She vowed to never be so pathetic, and to always look behind her back as everyone would try to sabotage her.

Why bother with people not worth it when there was so much to see learn? There were always many classes and activities she could take on the afternoons and weekends she could take. She already took many but she still had time for more, it was not as if there was anything productive to do back home.

.

* * *

.

The young female was scandaly clad into many feathers and very little else, dancing in a very lively and obscenely crowd street while drummer's music from a batucada filled the night air. She was moving her hips fast in rhythm as she enjoyed the carnival. No one cared about the light rain.

.

* * *

.

She was wearing quite the fancy attire (cosplay) and was on a stage singing her heart out completely entailed by the lights and the sound. It didn´t matter that it was raining, not to her and not the public. She was giving all of herself and the public sang along the lines of their favorite anime´s songs. It was rare because it was a wonderful sensation that she wanted to enjoy at maximum while it lasted as she knew she couldn´t hold onto it.

.

* * *

.

She was dancing with one of her "cousins" from the delegations of her "block" to present some of their music. Rather than present the stands from each of their countries separately they decided to simply made a big party and put everything together because all were a "family", and that had weirded out everyone else.

She got actually lots of fun, then, one of the last days of the forum it was already night and the place was closing for the day when there was a problem because one of the guys from a prospectus "first world" countries forgot protocol and went on to mistreat some guys from countries known to be less wealthy. She was going to stay neutral but then the guy made the mistake of insulting her "family" and "friends" (and of the last ones she had very few so she took care of them) too.

She went on to stand between them and faced the guy. She knew that it would be bad for them if they broke the protocols and retaliate. But she didn´t care to take the blame herself if needed, so she raised her closed first and sang with pride and determinant a song that had rallied humanity since it was first used and was so full of meaning that even a being like her could feel it´s vibe.

_Debout ! les damnés de la terre !  
Debout ! les forçats de la faim !  
La raison tonne en son cratère :  
C'est l'éruption de la fin._

…

The guy that had offended them laughed because he didn´t knew what song it was and tough that she was a crazy bitch. He couldn´t comprehend what she was doing, but many of the present KNEW the song because it was an important part of the history of their countries and of humanity in the past centuries. This was a symbolical stand out or a political statement as much as anything could be; when the chorus came they too raised their first and joined, in their home´s language or in the whatever language they knew it, or at least as a mumbling melody to accompany their peers.

_C'est la lutte finale  
Groupons-nous, et demain  
L'Internationale  
Sera le genre humain…_

…

Very fast, people from all the stands gathered to see what was going on and more people joined, especially those whose country opposed that guy´s economical block or had a historical grudge against the guy´s country (which were many).

The guy of course retreated not knowing how to deal with such situation. And the sound had drawn reporters to enter the place and film everything.

It was a scandal on many levels! That gained her respect as much as good and bad opinions and gave her more than a few chances to meet more interesting acquaintances that wanted to use her from the countries enemies of that economic bloc she had mocked. She was, after all, true to herself and her (almost none existing) principles.

_**(* AN: The song is obviously "The internationale", to get a sense of this song look for "Dr. Zhivago – the international scene", or better yet, you should really look the documentary for it in youtube. There really is a reason why this became the URSS anthem for a while. Even more so, if you were to do that in a public place in various countries you would at least bea rrested and be called terrorist or something**__)_

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* * *

**.**

She was looking at a screen from the inside of a rundown factory while it stormed outside. The occasional lightning forced her to wear headphones so she could listen to the live online transmission despite her fear of anyone finding her but she couldn´t miss this. It was not every day that one could see their own funeral.

It was relieving to know that she was officially dead.

All ties had been cut and now she was completely free to do whatever she wanted.

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* * *

**.**

The force wave of the nearby explosion had sent her crashing through the window. Maybe she had bitten more than she could chew by accepting that mission. She knew that there was a big chance of grade C combat happening where she needed to get to, to steal the hard drives and she knew that she needed support, yet she had gone on ahead alone… however the other teams that had been hired were dead already because their larger group have been too easy to spot.

Maybe in one of her next missions she would accept a backup agent. Better to use the help than to die stupidly.

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* * *

**.**

She was lying nervously on her stomach without her upper armor and with her back completely exposed feeling very vulnerable . The topless Russian man was cracking his fingers and assuring her this would make her feel good as he loomed right over her, half seated over her and supporting himself on his calves, with his knees pressing at the sides of her hips as he carefully passed his finger along her spine looking for the first time all the punctures and metal lines in her flesh.

.

-_Calm down. You in good hands, da?_ – She could feel the amusement in his voice.

_-I have seen you break people´s backs! _

_-I be careful… now shush…. _

.

They hadnt been partners for that long but she had already unnerved him. She was so tense that it was contagious, so .Andrick had convinced her that she needed to relax, and of course he could help her with that!

He had learned how to crack bones and set them in their right place appropriately with a "massage". She just needed to take her suit off and… and of course she had blatantly refused.

But he insisted (constantly) until she was trusting him enough and finally accepted his help (so that he would stop annoying her). It was one of the best decisions she had ever taken! , As confirmed by the ecstatic moan of pleasure that leaved her throat when he set back her spine into place.

She learned that maybe a bit more confidence in someone was not so bad.

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* * *

**.**

It had passed a while since Andrick´s death. She had just fulfilled her mission to give the information to the "wild geese" and she had been invited to stay if she wanted. She had accepted for a couple of days as she needed to restock and rest and they could use some of her intel and experience.

The base was secure for the moment due to the storm and she took the chance to get a bath late at night when everyone was either on guard duty or asleep or so she tough.

She was alone and naked in the shower when two guys entered, one of them had been the one that had criticized her current code name "monochrome rainbow" when she had reached their base and had been so bold as to ask her why that code name. It had surprised her a bit that she had actually answered him. Maybe she had done so to amuse herself or maybe just to listen to her own voice. The other guy looked almost identical to his companion. They were undoubtedly related if not outright twins.

Both were wearing towels and discussing how bad it had been to be on guard duty outside just now that it had been raining, which explained why both where completely soaked and had decided to go take a hot bath before the electronic curfew cut off the hot water supply until morning as their sun water-heather was out of commission. One of them left out quite a girly squeak (and dropped his towel) when he noticed the naked female occupying the only usable shower there (the place didn´t have but a small wall separating the shower and no curtains or anything. It was not as if they would occupy the place for long, so why bother?).

They started apologizing and mumbling (and failing to avert their gazes) until she merely told them that she would be done in a minute or so. Just then a high pitch was heard.

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-_What was that!? Are we under attack!?_ – She turned to them, uncaring about letting them see her full front.

_-No… it just means that a satellite is passing above us and the curfew has started. We can´t get out of wherever building we are or we´ll be detected- _One of them said making no effort to hide that he was enjoying the view.

_-Damn. Well, you can use the shower now. – _She said and walked past them to get her compact microfiber towel which unfortunately had been blown to the floor when the pair entered and now had absorbed so much water that it was impossible to use to dry herself, and suiting up while soaked in a suit that sent electric shocks directly into her body was not a good idea. She´d have to wait to dry naturally. Well, it was not as if she could leave the building with the monsoon outside anyways.

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-_So… are you really THAT mercenary?- _The silence was getting uncomfortable for the boys and one of them simply had to cut it. – _Any advice you can give us the resistance?_

-mmhh huh? _Yes and yes. Always remember that no basterd have ever won a war dying for her cause. It had been won by managing the other basterd to die for hers._

_._

She gave them her attention. They weren´t bad looking, in fact they were quite handsome and around her age, one had short hair and the other one had it longer and tied in a ponytail. Amazingly she didn´t mind their presense or the "vulnerable" situation; she was actually in the mood for company.

They chatted for a while, mainly her asking them seemingly useless field information and they trying to not look at her (or at least be discreet about it and not look so embarrassed).

.

_- Aren´t you.. unnerved?- _Finally one of them snapped at her calmness.

_-Why would I? - _It wasnt as if she had ever developed shame either.

_-You are naked in a dark building in the middle of a storm with two naked guys_- He pointed out

-_HOT naked guys_ -His brother clarified.

_-Huh? You havent being in the front for long, have you?_ –She had already figured that they had been college students or something easy not too long ago –_ Since the moment you entered I noticed and analyzed you. I can take care of both of you if needed, besides…. By the erection you have, killing me is not exactly what you want to do with me – _She smiled amused at that as their faces turned red –_I´ll give you another advise. Forget your self-consciousness. It´s very likely that you will kill or get killed and you will soon see many bodies, naked or not if you haven´t yet. You don´t have time to "pudor". People are but walking corpses naked or not.–_ She said remembering the massacre at the hospital- _You asked me for advise… easy: "live as if you were to die tomorrow because it might as well be so, and act as if you were to actually survive" . Besides… You are not bad looking, if you let me check for STD´s and you happen to be clean then we can use some of the condoms I normally have just in case I need to keep the barrel of my gun free from water._

.

It had been long since she last had any intercourse (or human interaction besides combats and business talks); she needed it. Not so much to satisfy any physical urgency but to have some sort of closure and move on. Andrick was death and she had mourned too much already. It was time to go ahead with her plans and whatever was left of her life before her intended death.

She needed to have a moment split from time and enjoy it to the maximum, not caring about anything else. Yet, she was wise enough to follow her own advice; she was willing to have fun,but not idiotically reckless as to not be careful in the basics of "safe " fun.

It was a wonderful night for a free stand, and soon she found herself riding one of the brothers while the other took her breasts in his mouth and his hands as she got a hold of his manhood with the hand she wasn´t using for support. They moved in rythm with the storm and went as wild as it. They carried on till morning came and there was hot water once again to take a bath and clean the fluids from themselves. A day or so later she left.

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* * *

**.**

**END FLASHBACKS**

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Peter was awry at her sudden dead experience as he recalled what he now knew about her precious memories. There weren´t happy or sad memories for her to treasure. At least not from her perspective anyways, just life lessons that she needed to keep in mind and that was why she valued them. The prime minister tough it was sad and void even if she didn´t, and he didn´t want to consider that if those were her precious moments then what kind of brutally the bad ones could be?

.

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* * *

.

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**There, that´s why they still went for Alice first, sure, most of them truly valued Alice more but mainly it was because of the game, and the moment Alice´s game was truly completed Wonderland was like "Hey! There is this other foreigner still available!, Let´s correct that! She needs a boyfriend that is madly in love with her and fast! "**

**Someone asked a while ago if she even remembered her own name ( You know who ;) see? I didn´t forget, I was just waiting for the right moment to answer that in the story, so thanks for asking that question). And No, she doesn´t, maybe Pierce (which little flashback I think was sort of cute) caught her in her 5 minutes but still she told him and didn´t exactly refused the hug or the kiss (Poor Pierce if someone finds out XD ) , she probably needed a bit of solace after remembering that she was a dead woman walking. **

**And yeah, she had a bunny (like Peter) with floppy ears (like Sydney) and color brown (like Elliot), she probably liked it a lot (it´s not as if she had many friends at any moment in her life), but the important part for her was not the bunny that much but the whole situation, and in case you wanna know "Pachoncito" is the diminutive form of "pachón" which is something along the lines of "cute, cuddly, fluffy, kawai and adorable" all at once… her naming skills weren´t exactly normal either. **

**But Peter now has a wider idea about her and Sydney might too in the near future (if he survives being her huggable pillow XD ). I think that's because Alice´s game hadn´t ended completely prior and because Aria has no "memories" per se Peter only knew Alice´s, and when Alice´s game was completed he could finally see Aria´s version of precious memories. Let´s remember she really is a psycho, to her the "happy" memories are nice but not necessarily valuable or important; she values the importance on how useful or satisfying something was and thus we see that she values experience, not happiness and Peter gets even more shacked that she isn´t completely all the terrible things he wants her to be.**

**Oh, and about her memories… consider the first ones to be in her original language (I was just too lazy too put it double and thought it would break continuity). And I don´t doubt that some of you where expecting the scene with Andrick to be something else XD but Boy sis she went at it later with those partisans.**

**PDT: I´m still lacking ideas for how they will get try to get her back.**

**.**

**What cha think? I know that this chapter may have created more doubts than what it answered, so tell me in the review.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Don´t despise this love and friendship day. Consider that all the expenses others will make will give the economy a boost and if you have investments they value will go up a bit too ;)**

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* * *

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**CHAPTER 6**

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The prime minister of Diamond felt it like a shocking stab to his clock before he even realized what his ears had stopped listening to. The heart of the foreigner had stopped beating.

A couple seconds later there was a red intermittent shine coming from over him and he felt how her body jolted in a strong spasm that made her head hit his back as the smell of ozone fill the sensible nostrils of the weak rabbit.

The shock had been so strong that her body had jumped but it wasn't enough, after one beat, her heart remained still and no sound came from it. Another shock came again making her rigid body jolt once more.

The smell of electricity seemed to encase her and then get out from her armor, this time her heart started beating again. Yet, the rhythm was wrong and the sound seemed dim and ill.

It was useless to ponder that, the foreigner needed an antidote or she would die for good soon, and if that happened then the black bunny wouldn´t get his answers or their help.

So when the boy (who seemed older than he tough) appeared again, he removed himself from bellow her head. It was harder than he thought it would be and found to his horror that he didn´t have the strength to speak in this form yet and was too weak to even walk in two feet.

After a little misunderstanding where the boy considered killing the "meat emergency supply" and before entering in panic because of the red lights coming from her armor, Sydney managed to motion the boy to the darts in her hand and communicate that he wanted to be followed, it didn´t work well when the bunny realized that he could barely walk more than a few steps even if he was on his four paws, so the kid (that was wearing the prime minister´s discarded clothes to his disdain) had to carry him and follow the directions the bunny pointed to with his tiny and cute paws towards the medical facilities, where he got the kid to take a vial back to the library and forced the unconscious female to drink it by putting it in her mouth and passing his hand over her throat to force her to swallow it. He would have liked to use a syringe but he was not trusting that ragged boy with it and he couldn´t manipulate one with his paws so he had chosen an edible antidote that was for lesser cases; the only thing left was to hope that she absorbed it fast enough and that her body and will were strong enough to survive.

The kid put the bunny bellow her head again and Sydney fell asleep after hearing the now more steady beat of her heart.

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* * *

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Bunsen had been wandering for a while in search of his way back to his human.

He had gone from one strange place to the next; so far he had moved through a clearing by a lake with big ice pieces sticking out, a cave, a sort of human construction that seemed covered in ice where a big muscled man with lots of scars was frozen inside a HUGE block of ice, a train wagon (he had been present when that Alhambra man had showed a toy wagon), a field where weather changed constantly… He was getting tired and just wanted to be pet by his human, who probably needed him anyways and would be hungry too once she woke up.

The kitten stopped for a moment to lick his paw and rest a bit before continuing. He was growing fast (or so he tough proudly), he remembered little from before his human had picked him but he was sure it was not good, but all the good things for him had happened after she had done so. Of course he hadn´t understand much of what was happening, but gradually, and the more time his human "pet" him he felt better and stronger, he even managed to comprehend some of what the humans were saying after the "Rolf" man gave the weird kid a sign like his own! (Did that mean that the kid was his human too? Maybe, but not like "His" human mistress, especially because he had give that little human as a present for her and she had apparently liked it).

He tough about the other humans she normally frequented. It was strange and annoying how many humans, specially the males that clearly wanted to mate with her, didn´t seem to understand what she needed. It was so obvious!

Yes, his human was special. But despite how good hunter and pack leader or whatever she was, she still needed help, love and protection and to be spoiled, defended and cuddled. Couldn´t those males see it? He knew that they were strong by the lingering scent she sometimes had over herself, but they were not worthy of her if they couldn´t even protect her. Even those called Biggs and Wedge were better in such way. How many times had she appeared hurt? What male would allow their (potential) mate to get hurt!? If they couldn´t protect a (potential) mate how could they even think she would even consider bearing their cubs?

No sir! He couldn´t allow it. He knew he was still a small kitten, but she needed him, and he would be there for his human. And he would be the judge of who was worthy of his human, he thought proudly.

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_-Meow? (__**A prey?**__)_

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A shadow moved in the distance distracting him from his thoughts, the movement seemed that of a bird and that caught his full attention.

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* * *

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Nightmare had to wait for a while until Alice felt asleep so he could contact her.

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_-Finally! _– The incubus said.

_-Hi Nightmare. It´s been a while_ – She sheepishly smiled

-_Oh yes, it´s been a while_ – Joker said coming from the shadows of the dream land scaring the crap out of her and putting Nightmare in a defensive mode.

_-What are you doing here?!_ - Nightmare put himself between the jester and Alice.

_-I´m here on duty incubus. After all… the biggest suspect for Aria´s disappearance and problem instigator is behind you and I came to interrogate her. – _Joker said and started walking around the pair with a feral smile that seemed as dangerous as the man that led on how deranged and psychotic he really was, no matter if it was the jester or the warden.

_-Suspect!?_ – Alice was really afraid and was pressing herself to Nightmare´s back trying to hide from the prying red eye.

-_Of course. You are the main problem here and you were the last one to have contact with Aria, who was injured and hardly standing when she reached you. It´s quite suspicious that you came out alone and completely safe when she was unable to defend herself properly before disappearing. And how strange that a money lover like her would not appear to cash her earnings… It is all your fault isn´t it? Because of you no one was there for her, because of you she was targeted by those idiots who captured __**you**__ and forced her to make the only deal that could ensure her some kind of security despite the circumstances. It´s all because of you isn´t it? But of course it´s always about __**you**__. You! You selfish bi …argg!_

_._

Nightmare had enough of his twisted words and had psychically attacked the redhead despite the horrible feeling that those words were partly right, even if Joker himself was the one who proposed the deal and forced them to act and save Alice. It was truly a horrible realization that he was agreeing with the jester. But even if all said was twisted, if Joker was right in one thing it was that Alice had been the last one to see the other girl.

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_-Leave now Joker- _The incubus groaned lightly.

-_I will not. –_The redhead said licking away some of the blood coming down from the corner of his mouth - _I am merely here for job matters, don´t you dare interfere. I´m here to see the last she saw of Aria. – _The red head rose in his intimidating stand despite Nightmare´s attack.

_-Alice… I hate to say it. But please let us see what happened with Aria-_ The dream demon hated himself for it but he had originally wanted to ask Alice about that too. – _I´ll be here, don´t worry. _

_._

Alice was really scared but she obliged to Nightmare´s request, whom pulled out the last memory of Aria that Alice had. It started when the other foreigner entered the basement of the mirrors house and put a gun to Alice´s head and ended with her calm but wicked smile while pushing Alice through the mirror.

After that, Nightmare cut of the sequence cause he didn´t want Joker or Alice herself to see how she had crawled scared in the prison floor, how an unnatural power that encompassed this world´s will had forced her to stand up and ask an afterimage to led her out the prison in name of wonderland and for the other foreigner´s will and how she hadn´t been so afraid of the place when Joker was not around, oh no, she was afraid of Joker and for good reasons, but Nightmare couldn´t let him see this or he would no doubt take advantage of said fact. Nor would it be wise to let the red eyed man known that the deal Aria had made with Alice had been enforced by wonderland too and had made the jailer afterimages cooperate and comply with the scared delicate foreigner Alice was.

It however drew Joker´s attention and anger. Sensing Joker nearing Alice woke up as if she would from a nightmare.

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* * *

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Biggs and Wedge had tried to get out of the museum but they could only go back to the graveyard or reach a mansion. It was as if all of it was just one big territory from which they couldn´t leave and no one could enter. The day time haven´t changed at all and they haven´t seen anyone else either, albeit a number of clocks here and there, which according to Biggs was "damn unnerving" , as unnerving as the whole place; clocks were supposed to get to the clock tower to be repaired, not left lying around.

Both men were resting on the cafeteria of the museum when the echo of a crash reached them from somewhere inside the building. They immediately went to check it out as they had been sure they were alone in the place.

The faceless duo reached a room with animal portraits. A bunch of paintings were missing and the ones left were big and very different from the last time they checked the room. In wonderland it wasn´t uncommon that paintings gained "life" in the art galleries but this museum had been as dead as the clocks lying around in it. and paintings were supposed to be lively but they haven´t been so when they checked them earlier.

However right now some birds have gotten out of their painting and were flying around the room, fluttering their wings as if they had just been woken up and escaped their painting, being scared or rallied by something.

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Wedge was suspicious and Biggs was looking relieved that something normal was happening. They got close to the painting to examine it when…

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-AHH!

-!

-TAKE IT OF, TAKE IT OFF!…. –Wedge screamed and flung his arms around when something landed on his back

-HA,HA,HA…. OH?... BUNSEN?! – Biggs had laughed at the expense of his scared pal XD

-Meow?

-WHAT!? Bunsen!? – Wedge stood still taking the kitten of his back

-Yeow!?

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From the branches of a tree in the painting, the kitten had jumped trying to catch one of the birds (Because his human would need fresh food and this birds were as big as the one he had captured once) but instead, the little fearless feline landed on Wedge´s back, who panicked trying to take the thing of himself while Biggs laughed at the situation before realizing that the terrible attacker of his friend was none other than their boss´s beloved kitten.

And last they knew the kitten had been with her.

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* * *

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Alice found herself alone in bed. After she had meet Nightmare and Joker she had tried to go back to sleep but she had been dragged into a weird scene knowing that she was alone there (no dream demon or creepy jester),where she was in front of mirror with her reflection wearing a dress that resembled Aria´s attire. The dream had ended when she touched the mirror´s surface and it had shattered.

She found herself completely awake. The time change had been fast or had been forced, she understood that they were dealing with a big crisis and all had probably gone back early to their seats.

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_-But there must be something! Anything that may lead us to her!_ – Gowland exclaimed. He couldn´t believe how little they actually knew about the girl despite all the time that had passed and all the things she had let them know o had done.

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To calm things a bit and maybe get a clue as to where she normally stayed, Alice (the only calm one) asked everyone to recount their dealings with the mercenary girl to see if they could agree on activities and times and by that trace her trail.

Each person mentioned more or less "when" she had been with them and for how long, but they didn´t want say much as to why or doing what because they were still in conflict with each other; At least not until Alice reminded them that she was in danger and that Wonderland depended on her, which they had to agree to (grudgingly). In the end it lead them to a series of impressive and widely varied jobs she had done; from merely helping around to organizing the chaotic bureaucratic messes of governing issues, to dancing lessons (they had heard about it) or logistic planning, and for the first time in a while, Alice was unsure and self-conscious again as she silently regretted having asked them all Aria had done in her jobs, as she realized just how useless she had been all this time. Aria somehow reminded her of Lorina, her perfect sister, smart, pretty and capable, someone lovable.

How little had Aria been in Wonderland but how much the other foreigner had done! And how little had she noticed or do in all the time she had already been around. Now she comprehended why Aria had been so angry at they had chosen to send her to help someone as useless as herself.

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_-It´s not like that Alice_!- Nightmare could read her doubtful thoughs- _You have done a lot, you have changed people around for the better! – _It wasn´t as if he could tell the truth about the game either.

_-And it is true. Foreigners are the axis of change for this world. A foreigner influence is_ _as large as life, and twice as natural!- _The king said from besides Vivaldi with a sight calculating where this was coming from and where he needed to lead it to-_ If you are the one who has changed people then she is the one who has changed this world. Both of you are precious._

.

They all knew it but they hadn´t consider just how true it was, the words from the king had been mysterious and it was Vivaldi who detected a deeper meaning in them, but she would speak with the king later. Now they needed to find out where she was. At the same time it also confirmed Nightmare of how much they had underestimate Aria Hadron Scherzi ; now it remained to see how she was involved besides Julius being unable to restore clocks in all that was occurring. And more importantly, how they could find her.

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* * *

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The little black bunny pillow woke up when the weight over him changed again as she moved to lay on her side and pulled him into a hug. Since the kid had brought a lot of blankets, she was using them to rest her head at ground level and didn´t miss the furry thing that went to become a huggable plush toy.

Given the circumstance it seemed that she would live; the bunny, who was still dizzy and weak, didn´t mind being cuddled that much, Crysta had done that very often and he had secretly liked it way more than what he ever said.

Even if her armor was cold and uncomfortable he admitted to himself that the sound of her heart was like a sweet lullaby and her embrace was gentle, so he couldn´t complain…at least not until she started munching on his ear in what appeared to be anxiety that let to a point when something startled the foreigner in her dreams and her hug of the bunny became so strong that he lost his breath and passed out again.

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* * *

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Aria found herself in some sort of clearing near a lake from where crystal shards rose. Somehow she knew that this was like a dream but not quite so and it wasn´t hers. She had been pulled into it and she felt a pull that guided her to the lake´s shore. There she saw that the lake was frozen and looked solid enough to walk over it allowing her to get near the big crystal shards.

At first she doubted on going forward, she was to say the least distressed. She knew what she was experimenting at the moment; it wasn´t something she could recall but it was something she knew she passed through. It was the brick end of an emotion, all the anger and hurt would soon pass leaving her with nothing more that the knowledge that they had been… and she didn´t want to archive them either. But this one moment… it was a terrible sensation oppressing her heart, almost physical. Maybe it was because she was in liminality state, not awake and not unconscious, somewhere in the twilight of reality and dreams…

Could she imagine that she could cry? Because she sure as hell was feeling her eyes watering at the moment. But what for!? Crying never solved anything... and even if her body did it she didn´t feel it, so why for!? It was useless.

She wanted to be angry, she wanted to be engulfed in rage! But she couldn´t, not anymore. The moment had passed and the sourness of what had happened was a the aftertaste she ended with and the only one she could blame was herself. She had been the one that was giving "the game" a chance, at least until she went back to her world, she had been the one to expect a bit of…a bit of what? Companionship? Recognition beyond her mere base? Friendship? Not feel just used? Just have someone else´s presence for a while? To be a bit more than her deeds or for her deeds to be more than her? What indeed?

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_-It doesn't ***** matter- _She said grimly to no one trying to convince herself that it didn´t matter to her; But her first were shaking and she was gritting her teeth. It had affected her a lot more than she cared to admit.

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She just felt very bad and very disappointed in herself, how pathetic was that? She had failed herself by being such an idiot for even daring to want to trust anyone. It had almost cost her own life and that would have cost her world too! And why for!?

For nothing! What had she expected? From every point it was pointless! Alice was the one that was going to stay, the one that was in real "love", the kind of foreigner that this world wanted. A pointless naïve girl without education, submissive and "nice" personality, willing to fall for anyone and probably end up pregnant and married young and completely dependent on someone!

Alice was all that Aria despised from the most pathetic females of her world. A walking uterus expecting to be filled with the cum of a rich "nice" man that would take care of her! Worthless to society except as a way to produce more meat for the grinder. Worthless for humanity! Someone that didn´t bother in understand the world or trying to make it better, someone that didn´t even try to get better herself! A pathetic being that could not progress beyond herself or go above the faceless masses! Yes, Alice was like a faceless in her world, a common person without outstanding qualities, someone whose life or dead didn´t matter to the world, someone that would be lost to history!

And she… she was the opposite, she was valuable… and yet this world wanted the other around! Roleholders were just puppets and tools for this world, right? Have they chosen to save Alice because this world wanted Aria gone and Alice remaining? It didn´t matter.

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-I_t´s not her fault… It´s mine._ – Anger once again reached her as much as the tears that streaked from her eyes.

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Why had she even considered to get more acquitted with them? What the heck had she been thinking to lower her guard!? What had she expected?

With Joker it had just happened; her little adventures with Black and how White always managed to steal a real and honest smile from her. He was also the only one not playing the game and thanks to those earrings he apparently wasn´t being influenced by his "duties" either. All her dealings with them had been truthful, from the murder attempts to her actual respect for him. And she could truly say that he was the person she respected the most (and her respect was stupidly hard to earn) due to how dutifully he carried his responsibilities. She still considered him her best friend and that wouldn´t chance, even if most likely she would never see them again.

And talking about respect there was Grey, sure, she grudgingly had come to respect Peter (and Vivaldi and the king had gained her consideration almost immediately), but the ex-assassin had impressed her with his high work ethics (and physical progress) and determination, she had been sure of that the moment he had actually chased after her and there was also the impressive feat he achieved by managing to make her mentally snaps with his horrible cooking skills;She could see massacres, destruction, almost get killed, raped, drugged…. But it had been his lethal chef abilities to manage to make her lose it -_-o . Grey shared a sort of common background with her, he being an ex-assasin and she a mercenary, the underworld was not unknown to them and once Grey was past his "You´re a delicate and frail foreigner" things between them had gone better. He even understood her business attitude and had respected it. Even if at times he had been way too serious, but that had been fine cause Nightmare was a big slacker and that had given her a well-paid job and the fun of the "slackers club" . There was something strange on Nightmare, he was mysterious and knew more than he let on, but he was also a scaredy and sick guy that knew how to enjoy the moment.

Julius also had earned her respect with his clock repairing skills because of what that meant in this world and his workaholic disposition and (cute) tsundere ways with her and Ace, at times he seemed even more lost than the knight, but she got a hunch that Ace enjoyed those moments more than her because he could be a troll too. It was funny in a way her relation with those two, she had opened up with Julius far more than she realized and had even confided in him how aware (and as scared as she could be) conscious she had been regarding her situation in this world, and Ace… it had been like having a cool backpacking partner again. Their camping adventures had been awesome and Ace was as psychotic as her so they had lots of fun… to bad that they probably wanted her dead at the moment.

There were also the amusement park´s crew. Gowland was a cool geek that went overboard with his designs but a truly dedicated man, Boris was like a big kitty (whom she secretly really enjoyed petting) and Pierce was just the cutest real guy she had ever meet! It was almost a shame how he was constantly bullied by Boris and the twins (but it was also really fun). She had also used good the twins but she had gotten close to them because they shared some similar work ethics, and it had also been fun to see Elliot scowl them almost as if he actually cared for the guys. Thinking about it… Blood hadn´t been that bad either.

She actually had gained pretty good experiences in this world, had improved her combat techniques and gear and she had paid that back with all the things she had done and improved. It was fair and it was over. They surely wanted her dead now and she didn't… ok, maybe she wanted see them again…No, she couldn´t!

Maybe because she had actually enjoyed it had actually hurt a bit, perhaps it was because of all the chemicals in her system thaqt she had felt so much...

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_-It´s over!_

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The mistake and blame was on herself and no one else, she controlled her own life and she was responsible for it, damn it! As soon as she could she was correcting it. She was going back to her world to fulfill her mission, she already knew enough of this world and she had already taken anything that could help her in her way; weapons, potions, training... There was no reason for her to remain in the ***** place anymore

She looked around for a way out and the shards of the lake caught her attention. Once she saw the shards in more detail, she noticed there was no reflection in them at first. So she got close enough to touch one and slowly the figure at the other side of it started to get near her to, but oddly the other her was dressed with a blue dress similar to Alice´s but more…aggressive in it´s design. However the dress was irrelevant compared to the glow of the masks earrings that the reflection was wearing and she wasn´t; the girl in shard raised her hand to put her palm against what would be surface as Aria did the same.

Then the reflection broke and disappeared to show a normal reflection, except that the other girl started pointing towards the earrings as if trying to tell something but was unable to as the glass disintegrated into pieces the moment Aria´s hand touched the cold reflecting surface and the frozen lake shattered too, engulfing Aria with it and forcing her to wake up.

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* * *

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**SHE´S AWAKE! (Screams in a DR. Frankenstein "It´s Alive"! way) and she´s having a little emotional breakdown (as much as she can anyways). Because she is the only one she thinks she can depend on then she is the only one she can blame. She doesn´t know the real reason the roleholders acted that way towards Alice, and well, she had seen many females in her world "waste their lives". What (or who) could possibly chance her mind?**

**About her opinion regards Alice… Auch! But Alice embodies what she despises. No higher education, no ambitions, insecure, weak and dependent. Someone that will probably end up pregnant young. A woman that would just waste her life.**

**And isn´t Bunsen quite the awesome little hunter? Have you ever heard that pets end up resembling their owners? I guess Bunsen is getting her curiosity and arrogance. But he isn´t a normal cat anymore. He had been receiving a foreigners "love" for a while and Rolf did a couple things to him like linking him to the faceless boy or making him loyal to her. But quite frankly she does need the kitten´s love. I guess Bunsen is getting to love "his" owner as obsessively as Peter got with Alice but not in a romantic way (that would just be wrong). And no sir, she isn´t getting a boyfriend he does not approve (imagine the little kitten all proud)**

**Meanwhile, back in heart/clover Joker does not seem to be happy, technically his job regarding bullying Alice has ended and now his focus should be on Aria… and she is not wearing those magic earrings. But alas Aria is in Diamond and everyone will find out that soon. **

**.**

**Flames, comments and reviews be welcome :)**


	7. Chapter 7

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**CHAPTER 7**

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Aria woke up but didn´t move, she remained still trying to take in her surroundings and determine the situational status. Her body hurt everywhere; her system had been chemically overloaded, her muscles had been very stressed, her organs felt pressure, her senses were at least dimmed and she felt nauseous. She didn´t seem to be in too much immediate danger, but she was still hurt and all her body ached with every breath she took.

By the chilly current around, she knew that she was in a big room and that she had been covered in several layers of sheets and banquets while she had lay on the floor. She was hugging some fuzzy soft pillow or more likely a big plush toy and she was so disoriented that she was unable to comprehend what had happened.

She remembered the battle at the amusement park, then Alice in the basement of the mirror´s house, the faceless kid and then some impacts… then? Then she was falling through the looking glass.

She opened up her eyes slowly and blinked a few times until the haziness of her vision disappeared. She emitted a mix between a growl and a pout and hugged tighter her plush, drawing the attention of a young teen that had tried his best to stay awake and keep guard but had failed to do so (constantly) as he got in and out of sleep too.

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_-You´re alright!_ – The teen timidly but eagerly crawled over to her and averted his gaze shyly as if he had done something bad. She slowly rose to a sat position still under the covers hugging the black rabbit that was waking up too.

_-At least I´m alive…_ _I think_…– She nodded answering dryly – _Where are we? Who are you?_

-_I don´t know. This is the library of some sort of castle or mansion. You had a bad fever…- _ He looked a bit hurt but when his age changed and she said "_Oh, it´s you"_ he felt better and his smile reflected it.

_._

The word "library" seemed to have the effect of a jar of espresso coffee on her and she stood up to look around despise her dizziness.

She noticed the silence and atmosphere of the place and the lack of lights or any other sound.

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_-Where is everyone else? _

_-I don´t know, the only thing I found was that bunny frozen in the throne room. Then it was unfrozen and I brought it here._

_-Eh?_ _What bunny?_ – She looked at the rabbit she was still carrying and dropped it when it moved in her arms. –_It´s alive!?_

_._

The rabbit hit the floor with a thud that made him see little stars, then she got down to pick the weak furry again.

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_-I´m sorry – _She said softly and caressed the bunny. It was her fault for not noticing the poor little thing. Then she again looked at the teen – _How long was I out? _

-_I don´t know. Time haven´t changed since I woke up but I´m sure it should have been a bunch of time changes._

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Aria sat down again and asked the kid to tell her everything after they passed through the mirror, and he did. She barely interrupted him unless he side tracked. What he told her wasn´t much, but the situation was stranger and more uncomfortable than she had though.

Now that there was some calm she took into his appearance and his circumstances. He seemed to be around 13 years old now but a little while ago he had been younger or older and that was because of whatever she had done to him, which quite frankly she didn´t remember well or cared about; but she did have the files to check that up later for details and she would.

This was the jester kid that attacked her at the circus that time and she remembered the constant mention of how much a broken toy he was because his clock was damaged and how everyone turned to look away from him and their collective advice that dead was the best for someone with a damaged clock in this world.

The kid was really glad that she was fine, but also was very embarrassed and remorseful for what he had done even if she had ordered it. Now she was hovering over him and judging his broken nature. He couldn´t meet her scrutiny and a painful shiver sent him back to the age she had seen him at the circus.

He looked mangy and scrawny and almost as beaten as she was. However she could see the potential of this willing test subject in whatever she had managed to cause him. But what for? She was going to leave as soon as she healed enough and/or settled things if only because she didn´t want to left stuff half done. According to whatever mercenary code she abided to, she would take things to a close. Whatever happened first. There were many things on her mind, but she needed to focus and the hell with everyone or everything else.

But first things first.

She knew she was somewhere in Diamond but her information about the place was limited, and although she was alive, she needed to check on her status and how bad she really was cause she was almost fearing internal damag. It would be stupid to ignore or deny that she was wounded and weak. Once she secured herself she could concentrate on everything else.

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_-Did you got all these sheets from bedrooms? – _Plans were starting to form in her head.- _**(One step a time)**_

_-Yes_- The kid looked nervous. Had he done something bad?

_-Good. Take me to one – _She ordered and he complied, timid while around her.

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The boy lead the way in silence with occasional sounds like "ohh…" …ehh?" as if he wanted to tell something but couldn´t find what or the courage to say it. He took her to the most fancy room he had found and opened the door for her. Her presence looming behind him in an intimidating way making him move away from the door. Before entering she addressed him.

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_-We both reek of blood and sweat. This is a castle. There should be guard quarters or something somewhere; probably in the first floor. Go and find less horrible and useless clothes for you, take a bath, clean your wounds and rest a bit, after that find out where the kitchen is. I know you must be very tired too so don´t overdue need to rest too. I´ll take a bath myself and check on my wounds; then I´ll see you later at the library – _She told him and entered the room leaving him outside.

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He of course obeyed. With a timid expression of bewildment at her dry show of caring for his being that soon turned into a timid smile, he happily went to do as she told him.

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Aria put the bunny that seemed oddly pensive on the bed and sighted. She checked her status in her history log and didn´t like it. The only reason she was alive at the moment was because her suit gave her defibrillation shocks to reactivate her cardiac rhythm and because she had been paranoid enough to try small quantities of substances and poisons from wonderland to gain some immunity to them just in case someone tried to poison her. Again.

That had lessened the reaction long enough for that kid to find and give her an antidote to the poison in the darts while her bleeding had gotten much of the arrhythmic chemicals out of her system. She was in a pretty bad shape and it would a few days; she was lucky to not have internal wounds but it would still be a while till she managed to heal at least at a manageable level. She had lost a lot of blood and chemicals were still in her system. It had taken her quite the effort to follow the kid and carry the bunny.

.

She checked the room and then went to the bed where she had left the black bunny and she started taking of her gear until she was only in her suit. Then she slowly unlatched her suit starting from her neck and going down letting her breasts free from the pressure in front of the bunny who immediately looked away in an overly embarrassed manner that didn´t went unnoticed to her.

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_-Oh, c´mon? Am I really that horrible?_ – She said teasingly while petting the bunny in the head and then drawing him in another hug against her exposed chest. She was so dizzy that his weird reaction of went completely past her.

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She missed her cat, as much as she could miss anything in any case. Right now she felt herself needy in a strange way she was not used to and she wanted back the little ball of cuteness and fearless fluff named Bunsen; she didn´t like that the kitten was not around but there was nothing she could do about it. If the kitten had landed somewhere else it was beyond her control, if it was roaming at the castle then it surely would appear later when it got hungry... It was strange, but that made her upset and even worried, as much as she could worry about someone or something. Maybe it was because the kitten had provided her with some sort of nice and non-intruding comfort in this strange world, something she had lacked for a very long time.

Some small grunt noises came from between her breasts and she stopped chocking to dead the poor dazed rabbit that needed oxygen and fast. She had almost suffocated the poor thing between her breasts!

So doing the first thing that came to her mind she put her hand over his pink nose and her lips around his little muzzle and gave it mouth to mouth respiration.

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* * *

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After being sure that the rabbit was alive, Aria undressed completely and leaved the stunned (and sleep deprived) bunny (who did his best to avoid looking at her) and checked physically and exhaustively her body to see in detail the extend of the damages she had sustained.

She then walked to the bathroom carrying all her stuff and let out the hot water to fill the incredibly big and luxurious pool. Taking advantage, she used the scented oils, salts and aromatic candles lying around while her body relaxed and her mind focused in processing what happened and her current situation.

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Her anger had subsided already, as with any other emotion she couldn´t hold onto it for long or constantly, and that was good because she could see things more clearly and analyze factors without externalities.

For starters she was in Diamond country.

A country that should have been lost but was somehow still around… No, that was not it, she though. The country, a mass of lands couldn´t be just gone.

E=mc^2 , energy could be transform to mass and vice versa… but all connection to the place definitely had been lost and cut, maybe because a separation in time space sequences if one considered how the territories in Wonderland connected to each other.

If there was no connection there was no way for clocks here to reach the place were they were supposed to be repaired and population was due to dingle and eventually disappear like the end of a gauss bell graph would show.

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_**-(But wasn´t there supposed to be another clock master here? What had happened to that roleholder? Was it another version of Julius? )**_

.

That meant the place had lost its inhabitants and without a source of life energy (aka: a foreigner) all life should have ended (except that the black bunny she had been using as a huggable plush proved it wasn´t so, at least not completely), in any case the place itself was still there. Maybe it was not in a prime state but it was definitely there. Which meant that the energy the last foreigner provided was enough to keep its static existence more or less stable.

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-_**(Was that Lorina Lidell?)**_

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It was all about balance of equations… She´d have to do that later.

Thinking about static states she remembered the kid saying that no time changes had occurred since they arrived. Probably a self preservation measure of Wonderland to avoid the waste of energy that confirmed it had been cut off from the normal time line. She had tough about it a bit; it probably took a lot of energy for this world´s time to run parallel to her world´s and Julius had said that at some point it had become "out of time". That meant that time passage was static here and probably other mechanics were set to a stop too, like lands moving or things that probably would require a lot of energy.

How much energy was actually needed by a country? Was there anyone left there like that black rabbit? Any person? How was that possible if Alice older sister was the foreigner prior to them? It couldn´t have been but maybe a couple decades at much, could it?

There was something extremely fishy about that. In all records and stories she had found, various generations of role holders could pass before any foreigner appeared. There were some missing factors in here and she couldn´t progress much into defining equations without them.

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-(_**Sight**_)

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She now had the first questions at least; now onto the next part…

What was she going to do? She had her vial, so she could leave at any moment and she wanted to, didn´t she?

Then why wasn´t she considering it an immediate option? What was that she wanted to settle?

It puzzled and confused her why she was still here after what had happened. But pondering on it she contented with the conclusion that such was the best choice for now. She was very hurt and needed to recover before going back or she would not last much in her own world.

On a more personal issue there was the "dream" experience she had regarding that lake. What the ******** hell had that been!? The place had felt even more real than her cathartic simulations and it had presented her with a tangible pull that leaved a mark on her psyche records in her monitoring programs. Like when she detected Joker or Nightmare messing with her psyche.

She had also "unlocked" some hidden files of her memory slots that were encrypted. She had seen herself running through the corridor of a military facility that, according to the info she had preciously gathered some months ago, looked like the place she was heading to and she had "known" that she had actually finished her mission. Was that a projection of possibilities or something more?

There was also the mirror image that she had also "known" that it wasn´t her reflection. It was something important apparently, she suspected it was a communication attempt but couldn´t imagine by whom or what, yet it was clear that it involved her and something about the earrings, maybe even a reference to Alice on the other side of the mirror…

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_-Of course!- _Aria face palmed.

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She had gone "through the looking glass"!

Wonderland was a place about balance and Diamond was at the other side of the mirror and was supposed to run parallel to Hearts and Clover for what she knew. If you tough about it Wonderland had 4 vectors. For there to be a north, it must be referenced to a south. There can´t be a west if there is no east or up if there is no down All countries in this world were supposed to be balancing each other out, for what she had read or heard by her allies about Diamond, this place was a counterbalance of hearts. It had a castle and territories at fighting too. When Spades disappeared (and now she suspected maybe it hadn´t done so completely) all the pull back effect fell on Diamond and that consumed a lot more energy because it needed to counter balance Clover too, which combined with the other circumstances like the actions of the "Dodo", set the path for what happened.

But how was everything connected? She got a few hunches related to quantum physics, particularly the string theory. But until she learned more of this place those conjectures would take her nowhere.

.

Then there was the issue of the earrings. That was not hard to figure it out, even if she wasn´t wearing them (which seemed to be the trigger for activating them), she still had them with her in her and were hers. They were a sort of device and she, being a foreigner had powered them.

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-_What would happen if I …._

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Rather than thinking what would happen she went ahead and took out the earrings from the compartment of her suit where she had kept them and put them on.

A strange sensation washed over all her body, she could almost feel it integrating in her cells like radiation, It was warm but cool, like the mist from dry ice. She knew that this "devices" were being restarted and powered by her. She had enough experience synching with machines to know when a gadget was being turn on from a passive state or sleep mode.

Was this a connection like the deal she made and that was engraved in the back of her hand or how was this related to such stuff? Joker was not here so it was useless to think about it.

As she started to ponder on those topics she decided to change them to another matter more closely at hand. What was up with that kid?

The boy was mentally (and physically) unstable. What he had begged her was enough prove of that, who in their right mind would want to be the toy of someone else? But then again, the boy was desperate and in a situation that couldn´t have end in anything else but dead, and the partitura had said that his clock would probably have served as spare pieces which was kinda sad.

What was she to do? She didn´t like kids. Heck! She didn´t even knew how to deal with kids and she really wasn´t gonna try! The mere tough of it was even more alien to her than her own mind was to others.

But that kid had saved her just as she had (ordered) asked him. He had tried his best to keep her warm and comfortable and that counted for something, so she would give him a chance to back down on his request. Staying near her would only damage his poor mind even more not to mention the physical dangers. Besides she was going back to her world soon and he would end up alone anyways, right?

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Once she finished her bath and drought herself, she went to the bed (not caring about being naked ) where the bunny was sleeping , and hugged him before going to sleep under the warm covers with her sort of new pet. She needed rest.

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* * *

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The poor bunny was kind of paralyzed by what had occurred since she woke up and he was too weak to try anything, in fact he was reduced to let himself be carried around by her like a toy or a pet. Not that he wasn´t used to, lady Crysta also used to do that.

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_**-( She…! She kissed me! I can´t believe it. First she tries to murder me by suffocation and then she kisses me! Just who does she think she is!? She doesn´t even know who I am!)**_ - It was not as if he could communicate anything yet and he had decided that he needed to see their intentions first. If they tough he was a normal rabbit then he could listen freely.

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The black bunny went to sleep once more after his little dead experience between her breasts. When he woke up she was holding unto him once again and had gone under the covers with him, but this time she was naked, and he was too! He realized with panic.

He tried to pry himself free but her hold only tightened at feeling the movement; she pressed herself even more against him forcing their bodies rub each other, making the prime minister completely aware of her physiognomy. He couldn´t do anything but (try) to calm himself by listening to her heartbeat, after a while with every beat he felt more at ease and noticed his strength was slowly coming back to him. Maybe soon he could speak or transform again and then he could communicate his identity and the terrible mistake of such indecent situation to her and ask all his questions (and then murder her). He needed to know what had happened and he needed them to help him survive until he recovered enough. This degradation was unavoidable and inevitable, so he´d have to cope with it somehow.

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When she finally woke up and let him go, he buried himself deeper in the sheets after receiving a nice view of the body that he´d been feeling against him for who knows how long. And once she was set ready she carried the incredibly embarrassed (not that she noticed it) bunny in her arms who had resigned himself to be carried around like a pet.

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* * *

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The council was not progressing at all.

The heavy loses they had suffered recently didn´t help them with their humor. Now they were facing thousands of people rallying and claiming for their heads or using their territories as combat zones on grand. It had been a huge blow to their egos to recognize that they couldn´t fight all the mobs and had resourced to asking the Cheshire cat to cut off the spaces of their territory´s main buildings and had taken a look around to see if he could find a trace of Aria but in vain. For the towers it had been easy as there was basically only one entrance, but for the others like the mansion they had to content with isolating the most important and central places.

They were starting to fight again when a gunshot made them shut up.

At the back of the room Joker had his gun still raised with smoke coming from it´s barrel. A completely maddened and ragging expression in his face scared almost everyone in the place, reminding them of exactly how displeased was the one in charge of upholding the rules of this world.

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_-Stop wasting time. She´s out of anyone's reach. _

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The silent was tense when the red head turned around and disappeared in the shadows.

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_-She´s in Diamond. She crossed through the looking glass and the shard of it was thrown into the mirror._

_._

They all heard him say. Now they knew where she was and the panorama was if possible even worse than before.

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* * *

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**I think she´s taking a liking to poor Sydney because Bunsen is not around (and Sydney is too weak to do anything about it). And I don´t know if fear for that boy or not. **

**But at least they now where she is. What will they do? (I still don´t know!)**

**More questions about wonderland had been answered but it´s a milestone for the whole truth. Mwahahaha! **

**.**

**Also… Regarding the question in the past chapter about the dream she was in: **

**In the Diamond game there is that lake that gradually fills up with rain that represents Alice´s regrets and sins and all the ice are like all the her emotions freezing for not warming up to anyone or something like that. It is also mentioned by Joker there that the place is like the prison, and the prison is supposed to be the place where Alice ends every time she gets lost because she ends prisoner of her indecisions, and in Diamond it is where Joker tries to for her to see "reality" so the lake is the place where you end prisoner of your past and your "sins" , but by sins they seem to mean what she can´t forgive herself for. Also Alice says that she though the place was a dream but that it was also real because dreams can be very close to reality, I guess like the prison that is an actual place too.**

**In Aria´s case, you can see it just the place calling her and wanting to show her something (Didn´t Nightmare mentioned that Wonderland has a sort of will of its own?... that was a rhetoric question) or something more personal, maybe both. The lake is already filled up and completely frozen but it´s not all due to herself because she truly has no regrets and she has no problem walking over her won past if needed and can cross it without falling onto it. **

**We also have that Alice freezing because she couldn´t get past her old memories and feelings and form new ones while Aria is considered a more frozen state because she is unable to hold onto any emotions for long.**

**The reflection was also meant to show what the reality Alice forgot was, but was there to show for Aria is she has no real memories? The figure reminding Aria of Alice in Diamond and in the opposite but same happening in Alice´s dream back at the other side of the mirror also shows a reflected reality. Alice originally was obsessed with her perfect sister Lorina, a mix between awe, idealization and jealously, and she´s starting to get self conscious because of Aria; but at the same time, Aria is very disgusted with the situation about Alice because it goes completely against her principles and beliefs but knows that such is expected from the foreigner and needed by this world, which lets her expectations from everything and everyone in this world drop to the negative side of the scale. **

**Of course Aria is completely unaware and oblivious to all that. No deeper explanation, just acts for lady literal if you please! She doesn´t get it. Well, at least she put on those earrings back.**

**And course she really does not want anything to do with such world at all anymore and she is ready to go on ahead and back to her world, but I doubt Wonderland will let her go that easy because maybe it does want her there or maybe even "needs" her there. **

**Now it's a race against time before they reach her or she heals enough to go back.**

**.**

**Did anyone notice that Bunsen already found where the Dodo is last chap? **


	8. Chapter 8

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**CHAPTER 8**

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After waking up and gearing herself, Aria carried the black bunny in her arms and reached the library where she found the kid waiting for her. She eyed the bookcases greedily and with glee but rather than going straight to research them she asked the boy about the kitchens when his stomach casually growled and she remembered that she hasn´t eat anything either.

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_-Didn´t you eat anything?_

-_No my lady…_ _I couldn´t eat until you came and eat too._

_-Idiot. If you get weak or die of hunger then who´s gonna help me? You must keep yourself healthy -_ She scowled him.

_-But lady A…_

_-And call me… Shatterdome. I´m taking that name here. _

_-Yes, lady... I´ll just call you my lady, my lady! – _He saluted

-_Well, I guess you can call me that if you like…-_ She emitted an annoyed grown, but whatever.

_._

When they arrived at the kitchens they found that oddly everything was in good state. For a place that was deserted and supposedly dead years ago even the fruits at the counter seemed very fresh. She put the bunny in the counter nearest to the stoves and told the kid to sit down and tell her his story. Then she went to the fridge and checked with her test equipment that it was indeed edible, just like she had tested the water when she had arrived into wonderland.

Everything looked fine, so she took out the ingredients and started preparing something to eat for her and the kid (and gave the bunny some fruits and vegetables).

Since they didn´t seem to know who he was and believed that he was just a bunny, Sydney decided that he would listen first before letting them know he wasn´t a normal bunny (not that he could speak yet anyways).

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_-Ok kid, tell me how the hell did you ended up in the amusement park the other day?_ – She said while preparing the food. – _By the way. Why the hell did you attacked me at the circus that time?_

_-huh!? I don´t remember that … I didn´t! I would never try to hurt you my lady!_ - The kid said quite on the edge and the foreigner raised her eyebrow.

_-Fine. Then tell me what you remember happened._

_-I remember that you made my broken clock feel good as if I wasn´t broken and then you left. – _The boy changed aged with a shiver and a couple tears caped his nonexistent eyes-_ Then Joker came and said he would throw me in the prison because I was a useless and ugly broken toy…_

_._

He sniffed about to start crying. There were many emotions associated with that moment for him. That had been when he realized he was truly broken, the moment he had abandoned whatever life he had at the circus and the girl that had been his friend. That was also the moment he started to roam his way to the foreigner.

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-_Joker said that? Stop it, Don´t cry please! I hate people crying. It´s annoying and solves nothing! _

_._

She didn´t knew what to do when people cried, or even understand why they were crying if there wasn´t a physical reason for it. Besides it was one the more nerve racking sounds ever. She truly hated babies crying at cinemas or restaurants. She was of the opinion that their parents should give them a good hit and a real reason to cry for.

She served the food and sat at his side.

.

_-I´m not crying_ – he managed between sniffs.

–_You are not ugly or broken. –_A simple statement that was true to her, he was an interesting oddity, something to use and study and… something else she could quite grasp yet.

_-Thank you for being so kind, but I know my clock is damaged, I´m broken and different and …_

_-NONSENSE! You are fine! You change age a bit. So what? The bloody twins do that too. You just need to learn to control it. And what if you are different!? Look at this bunny? He has eyes of different colors- _She pointed at Sydney who lowered his ears at the mention of his defect_ – He´s different? Yes. And that makes him unique and incredibly cute. Heck! Look at me…- _ She sighted in annoyance - _Tell me what happened after that. _

_-My friend got me out of the circus and I went looking for you.- _ A certain bliss reached his clock.

_-Why me? – _If she was the one who broke him then why had he gone looking for her if it wasn´t for revenge?

-_Because foreigners are kind and only one would like to play or have a broken toy like me. - _ He turned to look at her with the hopeful expression only a child could have – _I know I´m only a faceless and being broken I´m useless to Joker or anyone, but after you played with me I didn´t want to be replaced and forget you. I don´t know what it was but it was like warm rain around my clock._

.

She was perplexed, she knew now that her poking with the secondary synch mode combined with her intent gave them a nice sensation but she didn´t know how much it affected them. Biggs and Wedge had said that it felt "good", but not how much, and Bunsen just enjoyed it a lot but couldn´t really answer her. However she was not kind in any way, and she knew it. She was a dangerous asshole and a true monster. She had been the one who caused his mishaps and recent pain, so why?

.

-_What if I was the one who broke you? What if I break you even more? – _She asked cautiously.

-_Break me if you want, I´m yours! I´ll be happy anyways because I meet the foreigner. I would have died like everyone and be replaced anyways. But now I´m here with you and for you – _He said with utter trust and confidence as if he was disclosing his deepest secrets.

_._

It was strange, but no matter if the kid was deranged. He was right in at least that he would have gotten killed one way or another and would end up replaced, she had already seen a couple "accidents" in this world and people seemed to prefer to be replaced rather than wait for broken bones and heavy damage to heal; sometimes they didn´t even have a choice about it. Maybe how things have turned out was good for both. He got a change for something else in his life and she got an interesting test subject, right?

.

_-How did you meet Rolf?_

-_I was wandering among the territories looking for you when Bunsen found me and took me to Rolf. –_ He had been surprised by the kitten in that alley and it had taken the kitten a few bites, pulls and scratches to let him know that he wanted him to follow the little cat, and having nothing else left to do but die in that alley he followed the cat having lost his hopes of finding her.

_._

He ate before continuing, noticing that it was better food than what he had eat in his life except (for sweets).

.

-_I didn´t knew Bunsen was your cat or that Rolf knew you. I was about to run when Rolf caught me and dragged me inside his place. Then I asked him if by any chance he knew where to find the foreigner. Not the other foreigner. I had been looking everywhere but… but I didn´t knew a foreigner could decide not to live with a roleholder. Then he asked me what I wanted with you. –_ He then turned to his empty plate with a red tint in his cheeks.

-_And what did you told him?_

_-I told him that I wanted to be your toy-_ He said turning now completely red and looked another way.

-_And what did Rolf do? _

_-He made a binding contract with some ink that he said was special because it was from you. It's over my clock. Wanna see? – _He said proudly.

-Indeed.

.

He removed his recently acquired coat and unbuttoned the top of his shirt to let her see the tattoo over his flesh. She examined the tattoo and noticed it was like the one Bunsen had but bigger and done with the same ink made with her blood as component. She then took out her instruments to record things and told him to tell her in detail what he felt.

Very close, the black bunny stood to look better at the scene and found all very intriguing. It was impossibly stupid that a foreigner like this would take such pity on a doomed one like this boy, and yet she had done so. Maybe there was a lot more to her than what he had gathered.

Under the curious gaze of the bunny she sent a couple small electric jolts over it to see his reaction.

.

_-It tickles …._

_-And now?- _She tried with stronger and constant but low flow.

_-It´s (gulp) nice…_ - He said meekly.

_-What about this?_ – She said now turning on her secondary synch for only a couple of seconds to create a pulse that reverberated in his clock (and the bunny´s as he was close enough to be in her range).

_-Ahhh…._ - He said gleefully and his age changed again, now more easily and less painfully.

_._

She noticed it and tried a bit of her intent using the tattoo as focus point to canalized the energy to him.

_._

_-Now try to change age again, focus on your clock and how much energy you get through it._

_._

Once again the kid tried with certain degree of success. Apparently the extra energy from her allowed him to manage such feat. However she didn´t withstand for more than a couple of seconds before ending panting there.

.

-Are you ok!? – He was holding onto her worriedly.

_-Yeah… (pant), just…. (pant), damn it! –_ She hit the table with her first- _I´m still too weak and tired… (pant), … Tell me what happened when Rolf took you to the amusement park._

.

She was already discovering something new about the beings of this world as she listened to the how they had reached the basement of the mirror house.

Suddenly it was there, one of the pieces that had been missing! One little key factor of the whole equation that wasn´t an X interrogant anymore! She just needed to test it.

After he finished eating she told him she would try again and that it might (would) hurt; he braced himself and she sent more electric jots to his clock to make it jump while he held onto her. Her test and the other info she had gathered confirmed it. Now she knew it.

.

_**-(Think girl. Go to the basics. What am I doing? I´m irradiating… I´m generating energy and that energy is being directly absorbed by him. Normally it would be impossible for a faceless to get huge amounts but that tattoo channelized it directly… no, more basic than that…. At a molecular level… I´m giving energy to his molecules, that means that the molecules are exited and move faster. Like when you boil water the heat is what makes the water molecules move faster. **_

_**A faster movement in nano level means that moving above to examine a system on a cellular level the interaction is chained through faster connections and chemical processes occur faster, which would explain why the feat roleholders and faceless can do like faster healing and why their cells can be pressed to resist the bodies moving insanely fast and with a lot more resistance if we consider the sudden expenditure of energy… )**_

_._

The sudden comprehension downed on her giving her the conviction that she needed a drink or two.

_._

_**(That also explains why they have clocks as hearts… in a twisted way it makes sense! They need the steadiness of a clock´s tickling to regulate and contain the energy flowing through their bodies. The king had said that Wonderland had copied many things from her world, why not the hearts? Now she knew why. Because they would not cope with a heart that could go unsteady, especially when a lot of that energy came from an unsteady external source. And roleholders were like a living version of that tattoo, they channelized that energy to their territories so that it could flow around wonderland. **_

_**It also explained the extended love from the "winner" of the game: that person would be constantly receiving energy, and love does take a lot of chemical energy to exist due to the biological requirements, so they would just keep burning out that extra energy and release it to their territories rather being consumed by it….)**_

_._

She really needed a drink and a good smoke.

.

-_Was I useful?_ – He said still clutching her.

_-Si! You we´re!-_ She said and actually hugged him back. Thanks to him she had figured it out. – _Hey…?_

-_Yes lady A? –_He was feeling strange but really happy that he had done something good and useful.

_-I just can´t keep calling you kid, can I? What your name? –_She finally noticed that she actually didn´t know his name.

_-I don´t have one…_ - He said in a quiet voice while holding onto her a little tighter and burying his non face in the hug– _I´m not old enough to get a name._

_-What!? What do you mean?_

_-Faceless don´t get a name until they have more chances of surviving. Why bother with a name if you would be replaced soon? Much less replacements like me. I was just the replacement for the kid that fell off the tight rope… _

_._

She didn´t knew that. And now it made sense why the lullaby had been too keen on getting a name. As a small organization they could be erased of the map really easily. A name meant that they were someone.

-T_hen choose a name. Until you do I´ll call you…. – _She looked around to get inspiration until her eyes landed on one of her bracelets with miniaturized guns, and in an incredibly lack of imagination moment she said-… _Armalite. What about Armalite?_ Or Jun?

_-You´re.. giving me a name? _

_-Until you chose one. I just need to call you something less generic than "boy", "kid" or "Hey you!"_

_-Thank you! – _He said and gave her the happiest hug he had ever give. To her own surprise she returned the hug before prying him off.

.

Aria looked at the boy. He looked less haunted and quite happy, he had dressed himself with the smallest soldier´s uniform from boots to hat he had found; it would probably fit a teen and had somehow adjusted them so that would fit as good as possible when he changed age again. It was a good moment to let him choose. She pried him of her and took a deep breath before starting.

.

_-Listen up well. I know you want to be near me but that might be bad for you. There are many people that want me dead, probably including all roleholders. I can´t exactly take care of you as I can barely take care of myself and I´ll end up experimenting on you again most likely. I also don´t plan to stay in this world for long. It´s about time for me to return to my world and do what I must do, and I´ll do so as soon as I heal and restock. We both know that this world recognized your plea to me, but I´m still giving you a choice, little one. _

.

Armalite (He liked the sound "his" name. Hell! He like that he had a name) shocked his head and once again reassured her that he was there for her and then he remembered something she had seen in another place of the castle that she might like. So he took her to a secluded area where he had seen the only other beings around. He said that they were in the same state that the bunny had been when he found him and it was partially true.

It was a big cave like space but well illuminated and full with frozen beings and stuff. Walking around they saw birds with beautiful feathers encased in ice as much as other animals and plants. Somewhere among all that Aria saw a big thing. It was a sort of dragon that caught her attention and she couldn´t help but to want to study it. She took out her gadgets and started taking lectures, he ice was so thick that she couldn´t reach to take some samples, and when she was rounding it she noticed at the other side of the room another frozen being that caught her attention and she neared to see better followed by the teen and the bunny who was now able to walk on his own.

.

_-Wow. Who´s the bishie popsicle?_ – She said standing sardonically before a man with long hair encased in ice wearing winter attire.

_-That is the king of Diamond._ –The bunny said, finally managing to speak in this form.

_-Oh so there is a ki…. YOU CAN TALK!?_ – She turned around so fast that her neck made an audible cracking noise.

.

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* * *

.

.

**Run Sydney run! You have someone with scientific interest in you and a moral compass even more swinging than Ace´s sense of direction ! XD**

**You´ve probably heard this joke in some of it´s variants: A scientist walks by a water wheel and a frog comes out saying that it's a cursed prince and needs a kiss to be free from the enchantment. The scientist takes the frog home and once again the frog says he needs a kiss to break the curse and then the scientist says:**

**A prince is useless and boring. But a talking frog! That is something I can study!**

**.**

**So poor, poor Sydney! What do you think will happen there?**

**.**

**And she also had some bonding time with the kid and now knows his story. I remember in the manga that a kid actually falls down and dies in the circus and only a broken toy is left behind. **

**At this point I´m not sure who is taking care of who between those two (I REALLY don´t think Aria should be left with children under any circumstance. EVER) , AND Sydney is probably completely disturbed by how sick things around her are. But he now has a name of his own until he chooses one for himself (and she had so little imagination that it was that name or something like "Erlenmeyer","** **Beaker/Buret" or "Tiny Tim"). Anyways, Armalite was a way the IRA referred to their AR rifles, there is even a little song called "my little armalite" out there. Which reminds me that just in case you´re curious, she named the kitten Bunsen in reference to the Bunsen burner, an indispensable thing in any lab that uses gas to produce a non smoke flame to use in a lot of experiments and reactions (so here are cookies for those who guessed right! ). **

**.**

**She had already discovered that the energy from foreigners enhanced the people´s capacities en this world, she just now discovered the detailed "how" and why the winner of the game does not bursts from an overdose of love. And seriously! "love" requires really a lot of chemical processes in the body to keep going, that´s why the infatuation stage of love only lasts normally between a year and two (and partly explains why most divorces occur after that lapse). **

**Well, in any case if you have a question or want me to explain more just ask. **

**Did this look like a filler?**


	9. Chapter 9

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**CHAPTER 9**

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_-Oh so there is a ki…. YOU CAN TALK!? – _She screamed and turned to get a hold on the bunny before it could run away.

_-Let me go_! – Screamed the bunny that was being thoughtfully and shamelessly being examined by the crazy girl. And the fact that she had more than exposed her naked body to him didn´t help him when she was passing her hand through all his body while holding him by the neck with the other.

_-WOW, A TALKING ANIMAL! Physiological structure seems normal. Vocal cords difference? Nha. How is the brain structured? To speak you must be sentient! How can a mere bunny speak!? I need to scan and record brain processes and then dissect… NO! first vivisect then dissect!…_

_-STOP! I´m not a mere bunny! I am the prime minister of the country of Diamond! - _ The bunny screamed in the brick of a panic attack.

_-Huh? Prime minister? You´re… a role holder? Like Peter White? – _She held him at arms length in front of herself now more calm with utter and noticeable distrust.

_-YES! As I told you I´m the prime minister of Diamond, my name is Sydney Black and I´m definitely NOT like that White rabbit!_ – Sydney was scared, confused and angry. Scared of her eager vivisection plan and angry because he could finally communicate and the first thing she does is compare him to that Peter White.

_-Well, Peter is a sort of bunny guy. But you´re a rabbit._ – She questioned him.

_-That´s because this is my rabbit form. I´m too weak to change into my human _form! – He countered with a cute pout that he supposed looked dignifying scorning.

_-You mean that Peter can transform into a full, small, fluffy, cuddly, bunny_? – Her expression was the perfect poker face as she squished him.

_-Lady A…. I think you´re holding him too tightly – _The kid meekly said.

.

Aria or as she called herself now "Shatterdome" couldn´t deny that this Sydney bunny was cute. If he was a role holder then the eye thing was explained and if Peter White could transform into a small bunny… then she had seen it, that night of the opera she had found a white bunny plush in the dressing room. It had been heavy, as heavy as the rabbit she was carrying at the moment. And it had been wearing clothes like the prime minister´s … and it had seen her practically naked, gotten his snout between her legs, saw how she rubbed herself clean with wet towels… and more importantly, he had remained silent and motionless all the time while she suited up and that meant that he had been there waiting for her trying to disclose how her armor was assembled and what other her secrets weapons or determine any physical weakness she may had. That actually angered her. If she ever saw the perverted bunny again she would proceed to vivisect him after neutering him with the burn out end of a plastic spoon and…

.

-_Plastic spoon!?_ – The black rabbit twisted in her grip trying to break free from the psychotic female.

_-Did I said that aloud?_

_-Yes, my lady. You were muttering about the perverted White bunny and how you´re going to neuter him_.- The kid said finding the scene funny and quite happy to answer her question.

_-mmhhh…. Ok?- _She turned to the rabbit again – _What was your name? _

_- Sydney Black. –_She was still keeping an iron grip on him- _ Can you stop mistreating me now? Who are you anyways? _

_-(**That´s funny. Joker is called "White" and "Black"**)You can call me by the code: Shaterdome, and I was going to ask you the same question. Not too long ago we were at the amusement park in Heart´s and then we fell through a mirror and ended up here. Also don´t be such a prick. Without us you would still be frozen meat or dead. –_She looked at him straight in the eyes in quite the intimidating way despite her polite smile- _Now please Mr. prime minister… Could you tell me what happened to Diamond, how are you alive after being frozen and why didn´t you speak earlier? It was quite indecent of you to have taken advantage of me in such way. Did you enjoy my innocent naked body against yours? Or perhaps the petting? Why didn't you told us who you were since the beginning? Are you looking for a foreigner as desperately as Peter?_

_._

Sydney looked at the female hovering over him. She was right in that he did own them his life and he needed to know too what has happened (and how White was involved). But she was apparently about to rip him open to see how he could talk or rip him apart for "taking advantage of her" (even if she was the one that had taken advantage of him).

Who was she really? How could she be here if Diamond had been separated from Wonderland? That Alice girl had too been dragged from one of the other countries but that had been way before they even noticed something was very wrong. And it was dreadful but he also would need their help.

He looked at her quizzical gaze and tried not to get red or scared. Not only was he imagining what Peter White may have done to her to get her so angry (he had managed to hear perfectly everything, including the "snout between my legs" thing which made him wonder what kind of relation she had with the White rabbit ); he had also seen more of her than what was proper, and whereas she had abused him it was his fault for not stating that he was no common bunny, even though she didn´t seem keen on that issue. Besides, she had all the advantage here as he was completely defenseless and under her mercy, which quite frankly she didn´t seem to have much of that either.

_._

_-Tell me HOW is it that you are speaking. In fact I´ll examine you and find out how you can speak, so congratulations on cooperating with science! **:D **_–She smiled while holding him by the scruff of his neck with one hand. Somehow from the other a black blade started to unsheathe and coming dangerously close to him.

_-Stop! If you answer my questions I´ll answer yours!_

_-I´m gonna find out everything sooner or later. Give me one good reason why I shouldn´t just go ahead with my examination now._

_._

She was still smiling and that was creepy. But he couldn´t get killed in this way! If he died then all of Crysta´s efforts would be wasted and Diamond would be definitely lost. Not to mention he didn´t want to die yet. And even though her threat was real, he had also heard everything she and the boy had conversed and knew that the foreigner was not all terrible. So maybe he could reason with her… or negotiate something.

.

_-I´ll pay you well to help me!_

_-Not interested –_She smiled. **:)**

-_I´ll provide you political asylum and cover!_

_-I´ll leave this world soon so I don´t need it. Last chance **:)**  
_

_-If you help me I´ll let you examine me or do whatever you want!_

_-Help you with what? – _She didn´t care, but she was curious as to why the rabbit wanted help with for above his life_- And why shouldn´t I examine you now?_

_-Because once I regain my strength I can change back in my human form. – _She raised one eyebrow showing interest and Sydney took the chance to keep talking - _I know the queen_ _of Diamond froze the Dodo to prevent the country from disappearing. I want you to help me find him and save Diamond Before it ends disappearing for real. _

_-Dodo? Aren´t those extinct? … So it is somewhere frozen like you were? –_ She retreated her blade and started to ponder it.

_-He should have gone extinct. Lady Crysta, the queen of Diamond, said that she would freeze the Dodo in time to prevent his existence from consuming the country. The fact that we are here means that she was successful. If I find the dodo and kill him then I´ll release all the roles he stole and the ones that were prevented from being reassigned. _

_-Then why didnt she killed the dodo rather than freezing him?- _she was skeptical

_-Because she needed to gain time for Diamond. The dodo took on the strength of too many roles to try and keep himself alive, until such roles settled with their holder they would have only devour Diamond´s life. But when time has stopped, so did that situation. And now if the dodo dies a connection with the other side of the mirror might be established.  
_

_-How?_

_-Perhaps Wonderland will call someone to take on some of those roles and the way will open again._

_._

She closed her eyes thinking about things. The "dodo" was apparently a role she assumed, and he or she being frozen and in need to be killed mean that she could "examine" a roleholder, two if she counted Sydney. Which quite admittedly was a good proposal on it´s own. A talking shape shifting bunny! The possibilities of such research could be so great! Of course she could do so now, but Sydney could also prove to be useful and information faster than researching it herself… Then she could go ahead and vivisect him.

.

-_Would it be fine to trust him lady A? – _She was taken out of her research dream by the teen´s voice.

-_Armalite dear_ – She started in a teacher´s voice and about to give a small lecture

-_Yes?_

_-When you´re dealing with a roleholder use their roles against them, alright? And remember that the difference between the role and the holder becomes blurry with time as their duties become like instinct to them. _

_-Alright! –_ He saluted her happily to hear her lessons while Sydney was paralyzed, he couldn´t believe how true and accurate her statement was.

_-You´re right too in that we can´t trust him. – _She appreciatorily nodded to Armalite before turning her gaze back to Sydney- _Let´s_ _make a deal, shall we prime minister? Consider this a mercenary contract, eh? You will not try to kill or harm me. And from this moment till the moment you die you will do as I say and let me do as I wish. And I will consider accepting the mission of "helping you find the dodo" and I´ll have completely jurisdiction to proceed in any way I desire to do so if or once I do._

_-What!? That is…!_

_-That is fair. I don´t trust you and I bet you will try to kill me as soon as I serve your machinations. I also can´t examine a clock, so I need you and the dodo alive for research purposes and to ensure your cooperation; and to fulfill my part I´ll need you to do as I say no matter how bizarre it sounds. Also I´m preventing a backstab. That´s my proposal. Do you take it or leave it? –_She said raising her blade once more with all seriousness in her stoic face.

.

All he considered knowing about foreigners was shattered, or rather the foolish roleholders of the other countries shattered her in some way (maybe Peter White did it with his incompetence), but he really didn´t have a choice. He either agreed and gave his country a chance as his duty of being the prime minister commanded, or he died right now. She had been right, and his role forced his decision.

.

_-I accept your terms._ – He said without ado. Still, there was something fishy as her smiled appeared in a feral way…

_-Then swear if by your role. - H_er smiled was wicked, obscure and sadistic._  
_

.

The black bunny hadn´t expected that.

.

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* * *

.

.

The prison was practically empty from interns and Joker was in a terrible mood.

His own emotions had gone up and down like a roller-coaster. He had of course look out for her, and he had tortured every single offender that may have known anything about her whereabouts. But the information he had found had been so wide and weird that it was impossible to know what was true because everyone believed the version they liked, so technically they weren´t lying and he could not find out the real trail.

He had heard about many weird jobs she had been taking, dance teacher, art curator, literary editor, professional consultant, messenger… he had even heard the "romantic" stories (that made him want to puke) from his afterimages because he had been to grossed out and disgusted to read the little books himself, so he had put his afterimages to read all those **** he had found. It was not as if the afterimages had other duties without inmates anyways. Terrible stories where the foreigner was involved with all those fools and some even about her involved with a faceless! (although he had secretly looked out for if there was one involving himself)

He dreaded the prospect of her being involved with a mere faceless mob boss, but it was the best guess. Apparently she had been working for faceless too and had done stuff out of her "mere job" stuff and everything pointed that she was involved somehow with the ******** ******* that had called himself "Commander Shepard" at the amusement park, which also pointed to be a false name for the one man that had ordered that faceless faction to stay away from water. Something that she had prevented him from doing.

There was also the issue that he knew that he needed to bully and provoke foreigners, but he had not felt it was necessary in Aria´s case, as if he could toy with her just because he wanted to do it or not without his "responsibilities" interfering. And it was when he stopped feeling her presence that he realized his anger had been because he felt as if she had ditched him. That made him assure himself that he would get her back and it wasn´t because they needed her to fix the clocks, it was because he wanted it. Both of him truly did. And never had he felt as impotent, frustrated and worried as that moment when her heart had shouldn´t have happened! But now he undeniably knew that she was not a mere toy, she was "his" friend and he was the one one with proper right to toy with her.

He had felt fear, true fear at losing the only real friend he had ever had, at the prospect of doom for his world, at his incapacity to anything about it. It had ripped through his clocks like lightning and had pressed him to act. She was not in a bad shape, she was ******* dying! The **** hell! She had technically died! He didn´t know how foreigner hearts worked, he never asked her and Alice sure as hell didn´t know. But when a clock stopped ticking the person was dead. And for what he´d seen in Alice´s memories, Aria was way worse than he imagined and it was Alice´s fault.

He had been forced into that council and the warden half had to go because the jester needed to prepare some shows for his season. The rain had marked it´s start and he was sure that this time the show would be quite meager, yet he still had to do it even if everything was going to hell and no one would come see it because everyone would be dead and their clocks would not be repaired.

He had been imagining how to kill all the fools in the council room when he felt her again, and she was alive! A wave of relief washed over him and made him feel himself more at ease, ... until he "knew" that she was unreachable in Diamond. And he understood what exactly that dying old faceless had done.

He told the other role holders and left. His counterpart could deal with the fools later.

She was in a lost place, that presented way many new problems. All the ways for reach Diamond had been cut, there were no trains, the staircase between countries was sealed, Aria couldn´t be reached by dreams, the cat couldn´t go there without permission or having been there before. The key of the ´"door" had been lost for centuries…

His "friend" was indeed too troublesome. Once he found her he really was going to lock her up in the most secure cell where she wouldn´t get hurt or cause more troubles.

.

_-How are we going to get her back? _

_-How is that fucking place still there anyways?_ – He asked himself.

_-Maybe we can manipulate those fools to find a path- _His other self said.- _Probably the caterpillar is already thinking on something._

_-We can´t cross there…. _

_-But "she" can use the doors – _He realized

-_W__**e**__ j__**u**__s__**t**__ n__**e**__e__**d**__ t__**o**__ m__**a**__k__**e**__ s__**u**__r__**e**__ s__**h**__e "__**w**__a__**n**__t__**s**__" t__**o**__ g__**o**__ t__**h**__e__**r**__e __**a**__n__**d**__ t__**h**__e__**n**__ w__**e**__ c__**a**__n __**u**__s__**e**__ h__**e**__r t__**o**__ o__**p**__e__**n**__ a __**p**__a__**t**__h f__**o**__r o__**u**__r__**s**__e__**l**__v__**e**__s._

.

Both of him smiled wickedly. Only the foreigner could use the doors to reach the place she desired, and he knew what Alice needed to desire and where to reach to get what would allow him to get there.

.

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* * *

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-_Diamond?_ - Alice was being visited by Nightmare in her dreams again.

_-Yes. Although I don´t know how she got there … or how to get her back. But There just might be a way, after all, you went to Diamond too Alice._

_-What? I don´t…_

_-You don´t remember, I know. But Diamond called you through a dream not so long ago. You started to forget but in the end you choose to come back here. _

_._

Nightmare of course omitted various details. He had known since the beginning that Alice had gone to Diamond, he had met her there two times when he was the train station master before he started ruling Clover. That had also been the reason of why he had agreed to open up the path to her world so that Peter could bring her to wonderland and save her.

At those times he had told both Alice and his younger self that he was another Nightmare from the country of Clover. It had been a lie, especially because he couldn´t let his younger self know the truth. More so because he wasn´t contacting Alice in her dreams as he was saying, he was using the (sometimes in secret) intruding of his younger self in Alice´s dreams to contact her. His love for Alice had developed since then (it had been such cute puppy love), but when he was called to Clover there was no turning back and he knew that the time there had stopped a couple years after he and Grey had left, which happened in turn a while after Alice herself have returned to Clover with no memories of that experience (and to his surprise, Grey didn´t remember her either).

But now Aria was truly out of their reach, at least from "his" reach. He remembered that when Alice had been called to Diamond the second time, he had tried reaching out for her and had even carry her above before the country threw him out back to Clover. If only he knew how Alice had reach the place or if there was a train station master he could contact…

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* * *

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Aria had made a cut on her arm to draw blood in a piece of cloth that she used it in the block of ice to see what would happen and if it could unfreeze the popsicle (bishi) king and had extended and connected her gadgets and equipment to record and monitor the phenomenon. Sydney had told her about Crysta freezing him and after some more questions and a few interconnected hypotheses she passed to the experimentation fase.

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_-So you think your blood is what unfroze me_? – Sydney was still dubious.

_-Of course it was! Lady A´s blood is magical!_ – Armalite said.

_-Of course it wasn´t! and don´t be ridiculous, blood is not magical_! There doesn´t exist "magic", just stuff science hasn´t researched enough yet!

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Both wonderlanders turned to look at her perplexed. She sighted and rubbed her temples before thinking how to explain in understandable terms.

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_-Foreigners bring life to this world by sharing their..., lets call it "mana power", MP for short (__**and because I´m a friki gamer). **__In fact, Wonderland needs it and thrives on it; and only a foreigner´s "love" or an artificial equivalent in my case serve for that. A foreigners MP is special because it excites the particles of … ok…mmhhh… because it powers and boosts everything in this world, like the healing factor of a faceless, the strength of a roleholder, the "revival" of clocks, etc. And blood, being part of a foreigner has some of its properties._

_My guess is that the energy contained in my blood was absorbed by Sydney when you left your old rags over the ice and his own molecules vibrated against the ice´s provoking nuclear friction for the atoms that caused the ice particles to consume their own energy by entropic degradation, gradually releasing him. – _She clearly failed in her simplification attempt.

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They didn´t understand much of it, not even the prime minister, whom also found hard to believe what she said about foreigners even though it made a bit of sense. In any case he now got a glimpse of how smart she was.

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-(_**Is that why White didn´t kill her at first? Dis she actually impressed him?**_) _And what makes you think the king is even alive. He has been frozen since before I became prime minister. – _The prime minister had always tough that Crysta had killed him.

-_For starters because you are proof that it is possible to survive such. You said that the queen went to "freeze the time" of the dodo, not the dodo itself. So probably she did the first to you. For seconds, he is not a clock. If he had been killed he would have turned into a clock eventually because a clock does not gathers the life energy, just regulates it. Thirds… he has not been replaced in all the years he had been here, am I correct? - _She lazily stated her reasoning to her astonished companions _- However we will see. I´m monitoring everything and we will get results soon enough if I´m correct._

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* * *

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**Peter should definitely fear for his integrity now because she totally could go ahead with her treat. However I think she should have taken more into account the fact that she practically gave him an erotic show rather than the bunny looking how that suit is assembled ¬_¬0 **

**And poor Sydney also got a share of the fun XD , but you cant blame Aria either for being so shameless. She never got to develop shame or care for what other´s though of her. And after visiting a lot of places with so very different ways, customs, traditions and religions, even less so. Also the fact that she had been immerse somewhat in politics and such shenanigans made her more than aware of humanity´s banal and hypocritical attitudes, and she had seen too much to give any damn anyways. Sometimes it seems that to her people are walking puppets or corpses. What is a body but a vessel for the mind? :( **

**Besides, at the moment Sydney was just a normal bunny to her, so she didnt have any reason to fear him or feel ashamed. But now that she knows who he is I dont think she will be as friendly and trusting to him anymore.**

**Maybe bunnies just have that kind of luck with her. Maybe Elliot will suffer it too.**

**But well, anyhow Sydney is recovering and Oh! Surprise the king IS alive; and on the other side of the mirror everyone is trying to think a way to bring her back or get to her (Including this poor author who still lack ideas for everyone but Joker, and Joker won´t exactly share his). **


	10. Chapter 10

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**CHAPTER 10**

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This was becoming the end of the council. They were tired, cranky and couldn´t afford to waste any more time not containing the attacks, accounting damages or looking for Aria. They had spoken of all the old possibilities to reach Diamond, but all those had already been tried in the past when the country was lost so long ago and none had served then.

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-_So you can´t reach there Boris?_ – Dee asked quite eager to settle things, he and his brother were not happy because as a punishment for making the deal against Alice´s life, Blood had "volunteered" him to guard the clock tower.

-_Wish I could. But with no one there to give me permission I can´t. And even if someone was there it´s time is different and I can only go through space. So I can´t open a door there. _

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Julius had an idea but it was send to the back of his head when Alice spoke.

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_-DOORS! That´s it! What about the doors in the forest?! – _She said and everyone silenced.

_-That´s stupid. – _Maybe not so silent thanks to Joker´s comment. Because he/them hadn´t spoke much during the council – _Only a foreigner can open or cross those doors. _

_-And you must REALLY wish to go somewhere specifically_ – The other Joker added - _But you are secretly glad the Aria´s gone, aren´t you?_

_._

Everyone was taken aback by such accusation, but some pondered on it, including Alice herself.

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_-I´m not…! –_But she wasn´t so sure.

-_Of course not! Alice understands perfectly well how much Aria is needed right now. Without her, clocks won´t ever be repaired. And Wonderland will eventually die. –_Nightmare reminded everyone of the dire situation – _And if Alice_ opens_ that door she might truly reach Diamond._

_-tsk! "Might" you say. She may understand it but that does not mean she wants it. In any case it would be useless because she´s useless_ -Joker said.

-_You dare say that_!? –Peter had his gun out already before the queen put him at ease with a hit of her scepter.

-_Of course she is and you can´t deny it. –_This was the opening Joker had waited for- _Because surely (__**AN: insert sarcasm**__) she_ _can_ _navigate safely through Diamond on her own and find Aria, a highly skilled mercenary that no one has been able to find or track, even in their own territories in all the time she has been in Wonderland…_

_-And definitely once she finds Aria, (and she will do so before Aria leaves this world for good) she will just have to ask nicely for her to return here. To a place she clearly does not want to come with people she does not want to see. She said something of the like… what it was? –_ The other Joker took the word from himself and snapped his fingers to make the illusion of Aria appear in front of everyone as she had been at her performance at the concert.

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_…__See how the game of life is never won, you only play__  
__Bore her and you will find you're crumpled up and thrown away__  
__Clinging to fate and blaming it when life won't go your way__  
__Such a laugh HA! Life is just a game…_

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Followed by Joker snapping his fingers and her voice resounding:

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_…"__It´s just business. My last business with you! So I gotta make it good. You are risking me for Alice, exchanging my safety for hers. If you are using me as a disposable mock I have no reason to treat you all as anything more than cash cows and this but another mercenary job"…_

_..."Maybe this world has finally bore me. I just experienced a catharsis moment that is phasing to a memetic mutation. I have more important stuff to do back in my world. GAME OVER! " ..._

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_-That is not true! Hadron may be many things, but she is reasonable and always acts on reason. Even for this she probably had a reason!– _It had been Peter the one who spoke of, surprising everyone that "he" off all people had spoken in Aria´s favor. But after seeing her last precious memory he couldn´t let her return to her world for various reasons. Such behavior was specially noticed by those aware of his other duties towards the foreigner´s most precious memories; they would have to personally speak with the prime minister later for that.

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_-And Perhaps Alice has something "Oh so valuable!" that it may interest Aria´s greed above everything else? – _Joker used his counter argument and continued with this tirade.

-_Or if the negotiations fail as it sure would. Alice can then defeat and capture her; a veteran fighter (even if she claims NOT to be a frontal fighter) with years of experience, a wickedly clever mind, unaccountable amounts of knowledge, higher technology and absolutely no regrets or restrains. – _Joker was somewhat enjoying this. He had truly made her sound terribly fearsome **^_^**

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Maybe they hadn´t thought about that one out. What were they to do once they found her? Their plans hadn´d gone beyond the "go to Diamond and bring her back". She probably wouldn´t be cooperative... The answer to some of them was clear, they would think of something once they reached that point.

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_-And once captured, Alice will surely find a way to bring her back or to force her to chance her "orders" regarding the clocks. –_Joker was nearing his true purpose – _Just as Aria said…_

_._

_Once again the illusion of Aria´s voice was heard:_

_._

_..."You can ask Joker. Torture does not work on me"…_

_._

-_Face it, you might as well try to catch a Bandersnatch or face the mirror to find the unicorn. - _Joker finally reached what he had to say to set things in motion. - _**(Morons responding in 3…2…1…)**_

_-Hey that´s it! The unicorn! – _Gowland was the first to think about it. – _Well, the seal!_

-_What?- _Pierce was confused and so were the majority.

_-What are you talking about old man?-_ Boris looked as ignorant as Pierce of what was going on.

_-NO_! –Nightmare objected.

-_But that´s the all of us to reach Diamond!- _The park owner countered.

_-But it´s too risky, Alice can´t…. –_Clearly Nightmare knew something that the others didn´t.

_-What is it that Alice can´t? – _Blood was not in the mood.

-_The seal of the unicorn? – _Vivaldi needed to confirm her suspicion because such thing might be too much_._

_-It might be possible –_The king pondered at the queen´s side.

_-Huh? – Ace didn´t get it._

_-What are you talking about? – _Alice didn't get it either.

_-Let me explain –_Gowland scratched his chin – _Really long time ago, back when even Spades was still there…_

_-Spades? –_Alice interrupted

-_Let him speak dear. I´m interest in what M.A.R.Y. considers it might be useful for everyone to know instead of finding a way to reach Diamond –_Blood hushed her with a finger to her lips.

-_That´s what this is about! –_Gowland didn´t liked Blood´s interjection either – _The point is that long ago there were two roleholders, one in each side of the mirror, even more insufferable than Blood that wanted to kill each other even more than I want to kill him, and they started to acquire other roles to increase their power…_

_-Cut the story short M.A.R.Y. What´s the point anyways? –_ Blood didn´t exactly care for Gowland´s wellbeing either.

-_Shut up and listen hatter! – _Vivaldi ordered.

-W_hen those two where fighting each other to get the role of the White king, and before they could unbalance everything even more; Wonderland created the seals of "the lion" for the looking glass and "the unicorn" for this side of the mirror. A sort of temporary ambassador role duty that could be assigned to a roleholder to represent it´s side of the mirror and a "diplomatic" key to allow anyone to cross to the other side, and that included retinue. At that time they used it to have those two fight freely and kill each other. After that and a little while after, and because of the obviously danger of such items, the seals were "sealed" away, and to ensure that they would only be used only under the direst of circumstances it was decreed that only a foreigner with pure motives could find them. – _Gowland finished.

_-And if there exist something like that why don´t we all know about it and you do Gowland? – _Grey was quite suspicious of it.

_-Because despite his uncouth manners, lack of refinement and atrocious appearance, he is still nobility however dreadful such is- _Vivaldi explained (and took the chance to express her opinion of the park owner).

_-So If can get that and then you can cross to Diamond? Where it is? – _Alice spoke before anyone started another quarrel.

_-It´s not so simple… - _The king muttered clearly distressed.

-_Because Wonderland would_ _test you. To prove that your motives are pure you´d have to first find yourself_ _and face all that which would get you lost from your way to your objective, in this case the_ _seal_- It was the queen whom answered why that was.

_-So Alice is truly useless for this… what other ways to we have to reach Diamond_? _– _Ace cracked his neck and that settled it. If he was sure someone was more lost than him then it was a lost cause.

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Or was it settled? Alice was feeling bad and reconsidering her uselessness. She wanted to help because she felt it had been at least partially her fault all this mess. And Joker knew how to give her the little "push" she needed.

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* * *

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-_Why did you made him swear that "by his role" ? – _Armalite asked while they waited to see what reaction the ice encasing the king of Diamonds would have.

-_Because I don´t trust his word. Because when a roleholder swear something by their role they are bound to fulfill it as a role duty. And because I´m a paranoid jerk that likes to takes precautions. _

_._

Since she had learned that Sydney was a roleholder she had been decidedly nastier, distrustful and arrogant towards the prime minister, making Sydney wonder what exactly had happened between her and the other roleholders (probably White´s fault). Hadn´t he been subjected to her petting and caring before, he would have never guessed that she had a softer side that was very good at cuddling small furry creatures or comforting damaged faceless.

She was acting cold and uncaring and it somehow reminded him of Crysta.

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_-Why are you even trying to get the king back?_ – Sydney asked.

-_To confirm my hypothesis. And because if this works It could be a potential advantage. If it does not then we don´t lose anything. Besides, neither one of us is well enough to start searching for the dodo yet…. Because of that. And because I´m curious and bored._

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Sydney was still unnerved and confused by her. Her scientific disposition and approach to everything was something unseen by him. It was cold, uncaring and calculating but passionate and desperate at the same time. She had done something to that boy´s clock and it was horrible, but at the same time she had given the runt a chance to be more than what he could have ever been, and even had complied with his unreasonable request(and whatever else she had done at the kitchen he had felt it too and it had made his clock tick with more strength).

For that boy she had been destroyer and savior, but for himself … Sydney had to remind himself that he had put a rope around his own neck and she was the one holding it´s end. The best he could do for now was get information and try to settle things in a way that would benefit the country of Diamond, it was still his duty as prime minister.

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_-Did you meet any other foreigner Sydney?_ – She took him out of his confused musings.

_-Yes, she came here a few years ago and leaved before it was impossible to leave at all. _

_-Did she do anything outstanding or uncommon? A deal with Wonderland or something? …_

_-Not that I remember. Why? Are you seeking a role model? – _He could be uncouth too.

_-Would you like me to act as your average foreigner? Pathetically weak and completely dependent on roleholder´s love and charity?- _She answered him mockingly – _Perhaps you felt for her and just want a replacement foreigner? Maybe like Peter you don´t want to love another foreigner that´s not like your obsession? Was Lorina such a prototypic foreigner?_

_-White cant love anyone properly! And what Lorina are you talking about? - _Sydney REALLY didn´t like to be compared to White in any way.

_-You mean there was another foreigner before me and after Lorina Lidell!? _

_-Liddell! The last foreigner here was "Alice" Lidell? Didn´t White brought you to Wonderland too?_

_-mmhhh…._ – Armalite meekly said without being noticed

_-Alice Lidell!? Blond or light brown long hair, blue eyes, indecisive and unimpressive, frail frame, favors blue dresses, heart shaped cap in her vial… ? "That" Alice Lidell?_

_-Yes… How do you know that!? _

_-Aaahhhh... mmmhh… I think you should look behind…._ – Armalite tried once more

-_Because she is in hearts. How did she came here!?_

_-Two foreigners at the same time!? Prospentous!- _Sydney hadn´t expected that such would be possible

_-I appeared in clover, but I was supposed to go to spades…._

_-You know of Spades!?_

_-I know a lot if you haven´t noticed!_

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The ice disappeared faster than they had tough while they were busy discussing and not noticing it. The sound of a human body hitting the floor distracted them from their discussion. Since he didn´t turn into a clock immediately it meant he was alive and back after all those years, but still he was freezing and in danger or dying.

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_-Army! Go get some blankets fast! I´ll drag him to guard's room we passed to get here! –_She ordered the kid while trew the bloodied rag she had been holding away, to reach for the fallen man. Then she addressed the bunny_ – Sydney you go to the medical ward and bring an adrenaline shot or whatever you can find!_

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Armalite immediately went off to do as told followed by the bunny who didn´t knew what was going on but comprehended that if the king was alive he was also close to dying just as he had been when he got unfrozen.

Meanwhile she took off her own coat and put it in the floor to roll the king over it so that she could drag him using the coat as a sledge of sorts and got him to the guard´s room where she put him over the mattress nearest to the fireplace to keep help him warm up a bit as he was in high risk of hypothermia. Even if he was a roleholder, he had apparently passed many years encapsulate in ice and if the entire country of Diamond was in such state who knew how bad was the king himself?!

Once the fire was burning she got close to the king to scan him and get a clue to his status. He was as cold the ice that had trapped him but his clock still ticked. Of course she knew that there was a way to help him get warm easier, effectively and faster, but she was not gonna take off her suit off to lay naked with the guy (even if he was a hottie and reminded her a little bit of certain clockmaster, that only made things more awkward). Not because she felt any shame, but because she was still hurt and weak too, and the life support systems of her suit may as be what was keeping her stable and would safe her again if things went wrong. However, as soon her little Armalite and the rabbit came back she injected the man and put Sydney under his head to be used as a heat pillow again despite the bunnie´s protests (that were quieted when she took out a gun and pointed it at the surprised bunny).

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_-Now… this won't be enough…_ - She muttered and sighed in resignation after checking his vital signs. Unless she did something more drastic it would be useless.

_-Maybe a bit of your blood.._ – The kid said timidly.

_-What do you think I am, a "caballero del zodiaco"!? There are only like 4 litters blood in the human body._ _I can´t exactly spare any more blood right now… But I can give him a bit of energy. Listen up! Im probably end up unconscious from this or at least I´ll be very weak afterwards. Prepare for it and bring some covers or something._

_._

And without more she sat by the king´s side and put her hand over his clock. Then she concentrated and used her "foreigner love equivalent" trick with the full intent of keeping the man alive. But it was still not enough and she had to activate her secondary synch mode which completely drained her.

While she fell unconscious above the king´s body, the kid ran again to get more covers and the rabbit felt some of the effects of her actions and was left wondering what the hell was going on with this foreigner.

Unknown to everyone the bloodied rag had landed over a very big piece of ice that was trapping a very big creature.

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* * *

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The council was called to a break from which it wasn´t likely to continue afterwards. Alice had excused herself and some of the roleholders had leaved too. Others took the chance to interrogate the prime minister.

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_-Would you care to explain your change of attitude, prime minister? – _Nightmare asked the white bunny with Grey at his side. The bunny´s behavior had been highly suspicious and it could only be related to his access to the foreigners "most precious memories".

_-Under no circumstance can "she" be allowed to go back to her_ _world_ – Peter said adjusting his glasses.

_-It cannot be prevented if she wants it –_Grey didn´t want her gone, but if the foreigner wished to go then they could do nothing about it. Those were the rules.

-_WHAT!? –_Nightmare screamed in horror after reading the thoughts of Peter White and knowing the terrible truth. He went pale and had to support himself on Grey. –_That´s…._

_-Nightmare!- _Grey immediately tented his boss.

_-Tell us rabbit? Why shouldn´t she allowed to go back after allowing me to do my duties again_? – Julius wasn´t keen on it either and was suspicious of whatever Nightmare had read from the rabbit.

-_You don´t need to know!_ – Peter wasn´t about to disclose her last precious memory that was hidden even from herself . He turned around to leave- _But it´s even more dire than what her plans are._

_-Worse than rushing to cause world catastrophes and to die for it? – _Julius said. They knew what she planned to do once she was back in her world. What could be worse?

_-Yes it is. Damage to her world is inevitable no matter what she chooses. For her own good and our world´s she can´t be allowed to go back –_Nightmare said and decided to pay the rabbit a visit in dreams later on.

_._

* * *

_._

While the roleholders were still discussing things, Alice had gone out to ponder things herself. The current terrible situation Wonderland was in, the other foreigner, how she had supposedly gone to Diamond herself, her recent marriage with Blood, etc

She was looking out of a window and thinking about how terribly accurate Joker had been; but he was wrong, she did know how bad things were. And she did want the other foreigner back, didn´t she?

Did she? She had started thinking about the other foreigner quite a bit after she learned more about her, since that sleepover with Vivaldi she had been confused by the latin girl. She had surprised her in many ways and all her stereotypes and preconceptions about latins, women, knowledge, education and everything had been shattered.

She had never seen anything of what the other foreigner used or dressed in either, certainly she had never seen a woman wear armor like that, or armor at all. In fact she couldn´t recall seeing a woman not wearing a dress until she came to Wonderland and some of the clothes here, she had considered scandalous at first.

She hadn´t known how to act properly in this place and that had helped her lost state. Lorina had always inspired her to be the perfect lady, but how could she even strife for that in this world if she didn´t know what a perfect lady was like here?

Lorina would have found a way immediately … And Aria had done so. She had been amazed that the other foreigner had found a place here so fast and without anyone's help. For what she could see, Aria had fit in this world like a glove.

The other foreigner was not ladylike by choice (at least to what Alice considered to be ladylike), she had seen her be a social butterfly like her sister during that ball event. She was very good at dancing (however scandalous that dancing style was), she was smart and capable and strong mentally and physically and seemed to know exactly what she wanted. She was not lost into taking decisions or doubting her presence in this world or her stance in life, and she certainly didn´t care about what other acted, said or felt about her. She had the courage to go on her own and pursue her objectives. Alice had actually blown and asked her if she didn´t feel any shame, when Vivaldi gave them the undergarments for the sleepover.

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-A true lady knows how to keep her dignity even when she had taken off her clothes.

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That had been her response. Something so perfect that it might as well have come from Lorina´s lips.

She could not deny it, she was somewhat envious of Aria. Just as she had secretly been so of Lorina, her "perfect" more lovable older sister.

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-_And what are you going to do then? Clocks won´t be repaired and this will become barren. Won´t your life with the hatter become desolated too? No business for him, no servants for the mansion…. What future could you or he have? – _A voice she truly feared sounded behind her.

-_Joker! – _She palled, and before she could get away he grabbed her by her wrist.

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Joker snapped his fingers and they were in an elevator that led them to a corridor in the prison. Alice was unable to get away from his strong grip until he threw her in front of a cell.

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_-If you are really sure then look_ - Joker said and forced her to look at the cell after forcing her to eat a candy.

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Inside the cell Lorina was waving at her, and clung to Lorina´s skirt was a smaller girl half hidden, looking straight at her with hate. Such hateful view turned into the moment Aria had come out all wounded in the basement of the mirror´s house and had pointed her gun at her.

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_-Edith! - _Alice was horrified that she had forgotten Edith, her little sister.

_-But you are happy that you are away from her hate, right? Just like you are happy that Aria is away and your uselessness can be pitied rather than questioned and shunned_- Joker´s voice was broken by another scene he had not expected.

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What appeared from the deeps of Alice´s mind and memories next were her memories of Diamond and Joker saw why she was so fearful of himself as his present and the prison triggered the release of her memories after the potion he forced her to eat in that candy freed them.

He had harassed her mind with her own funeral waiting for her back home, had shown her how she´d always end up lost, had scared her with that faceless make on her...(_**AN: Basically all that happened in the Diamond games**_).. and had even sent her to Spades by sinking her in that crystal, of course his other self from Diamond went to cut the strings holding her there and sent her back to Diamond and then she found her way back to hearts. But it had been staggering to see himself chop himself with an axe (not that he hadn´t tried killing his other self for fun or to see if he could kill himself). But it was even more strange to see that there had been more than two of himself in Diamond and one was not from that country but from Spades, where the other half of that Joker had expected Alice there with the role of queen. How was it possible!? Spades had disappeared before he had been born!

Joker forced her away from the cell and drag her to the end of the corridor.

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Then they entered a room with a really big mirror. A mirror she had seen before at the basement of the mirror´s house in the amusement park.

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-_She doesn´t need to come back to Hearts after all. You just need to procure a way for any of us to get there and things will be fine. You just need to wish to get the seal of this side of the mirror and you can go on with your precious romantic dream with the hatter. – _Joker said and pushed her in front of the mirror knowing that fear of him and this place would block her tough from trailing away. He just needed for her to think about getting that relic and the way would be ensured. Either that or her memories of Diamond would tell the incubus how she went there – _Just get that seal and everything will be alright for you again. You don´t have to fear getting lost, you already decided where to stay, haven´t you? If you don´t… then Wonderland will die and you´ll be left alone. Do you want that? or do you want o know what happened to your sister? Aria came from your world. So she must know and she is the only one that can fix all this. You need her! she can answer your questions. She can free you from your fears!  
_

_._

Alice was utterly scared, his words and his presence drilled her mind and the though of Edith nagged at the back of her thoughs more than her memories of Diamond. She wanted to get out of there and away from him! But he was also saying the truth. If she could get that seal or get Aria and make things right….

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_-I want to make things right! And if the seal of the unicorn achieves that I want it to be used!_ _I want Aria_ to be reached!- She managed say while trying to get away from the red head.

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She turned around but the mirror wasn´t there anymore. Instead, a big door stood opening. Nothing but bright light was coming from it.

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_-AHHHH!- _before she could do anything , either turn around or move forward she felt herself being kicked inside. The only thing she heard while she fell down was the sound of the door closing solidly above her.

_._

_._

* * *

_._

_._

If Bunsen were capable of rolling eyes at the humans and comprehended what that meant he surely would be doing so at the moment.

Biggs and Wedge had taken him to the cafeteria to feed him and had engaged in a discussion of what to do while the kitten ate and rest. Then they had gone back to where they found the kitten and entered a painting but could only get out back to the museum. They weren´t sure which painting Bunsen had come from, so they needed to check them one by one. So they picked up whatever they deemed necessary and started to check one painting after another, but many were unmoving . It seemed that they would have to wait till the painting regained their magic to enter them.

However Bunsen could enter those just fine and seemed to reprehended them for not being able to do so.

In the end the kitten got tired of waiting for them "couldn´t they see that their boss or whatever they called her was in need?!" . So he went ahead and through a painting and ended up in a place that had lots of mirrors and doors floating everywhere. He of course could not open door, so he got close to the mirrors. Some let him see the other people that was always around Biggs and Wedge near a train; he saw a black bunny being used as pillow by a sleeping man with long hair; in other he saw a frozen bunny man with brown ears being surrounded by faceless humans and finally he saw a big cat with mane looking at him "what did humans called those cats? Lion?" .

He considered that the big cat looked cheesy and not as regal and awesome looking as himself despite imitating his own moves, but at least another cat could understand what he was saying. So he got close to "speak" to the other cat and found that he could cross that mirror just like he could enter the window painting things. Suddenly the lion disappeared and he could see "his" human falling over the body of a man. He didn´t hesitated and jumped into the "window".

.

_._

* * *

.

.

**Ain´t Joker quite the conniving and manipulating master mind when he needs to? XD he basically drove the conversation to let the others mention those seals and taunted Alice into truly wanting to help and then (literally) throwing her right at it.  
**

**I remember that in Ace´s manga they are in clover and when Alice offers to open a door so Ace can reach Julius, Ace says that it is useless. In some of the other manga (I think it was Boris´s) when Alice is about to reach for one of the doors, Peter comes screaming for her to stop and its then mentioned that they couldn´t follow her. **

"**The lion and the unicorn" they appear in heraldic, child´s rhymes and the looking glass book. And despite being commonly used to represent England and Scotland they also represent the courage/strength and the purity/fairness and things like that. But in this Wonderland it was a device created to get rid of such powerful and troublesome people...  
**

**However now roleholders will have to find other ways to reach Diamond. I already have ideas for Julius & Ace, and Grey thanks to Nightmare . But I still need ideas for the others.**

**Meanwhile Aria just proved her hypothesis and brought back the king (and maybe something else) (can someone imagine her screaming "IT´S ALIVE!" in Dr. Frankenstein way? I do). Poor Sydney, he REALLY committed the strangest form of suicide possible… or maybe he´ll think of something (or something might happen) before she vivisects him, because he have seen (and experienced) that she is not so bad. **

**And does anyone wanna take a guess of what could possibly be so terrible that Peter would be the one claiming for her stay in Wonderland? and more importantly is people even reading this fic?  
**


	11. Chapter 11

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**CHAPTER 11**

**.**

Aria was once again alone in the clearing of the frozen lake. It was strange, but she felt that this place was calling out to her. She had asked Sydney about the places in Diamond the prime minister had told her about the main territories. When she asked him about the frozen lake he was surprised that she knew about it but confirmed that it actually existed physically but in the border of reality. He had inquired if she had been there and its state regarding the lake. She had kept that to herself. Now that she knew the rabbit was a roleholder she´d have to be careful what she disclosed. He already knew too much.

This time the sensation was somewhat different, she felt as if this place was "hers" somehow and she could feel her earrings pulsating, probably magnetically and thus resonating with her own components making her feel that.

She took her time examining the barren place before going straight to the shore to one of the big shards that were raised there. Her boots made the ice creak under them as she got close and put her hand on the surface.

.

_-Ok, if you want to show me something do so clearly. I´m really bad at cryptic stuff._ – She pressed when the reflection at the other side was just moving to catch up with her in surprise.

.

The figure once again touched the earrings and it was Aria who reached for them not understanding. After a bit of confusion Aria determined that the figure/person or the ghost of all Christmas past wanted her to "turn on" the earrings. It made no sense. Wasn´t the devices active when she wore them? …

.

-_Think, girl… (__**Let´s see… what activates or powers them?**__) –_Aria facepalmed.- _**(Obviously the same thing that powers everything in this world.)**_

_._

She then fell herself being pulled towards the reflection and falling somewhere afterwards.

_._

_._

* * *

_._

.

Ace was standing behind Julius at the entrance of the cave that had held the stairs that had connected the countries in the past.

.

_-If you wanted to take me to a dark and solitary cave alone Julius, you could have just said so? I know plenty __**:) **__- _ Ace made small circles with his finger in Julius back .

-_We don´t have time to waste.- _Julius wasn't sure this was gonna work but they had to try.

-_Oh? You want it fast? __**O_o**__ Ok, I would have preferred to take things slowly but if you want me so desperately … _ **:D**

.

Ace quickly bit the other´s neck on the side while mumbling sensually; He received a hit in the head with a wrench from a flustered mortician because of that.

.

_-You don´t like me leaving you hikis? You should have said so too! _**XD**_ How is our relationship gonna progress if we don´t speak this things out. What if she want it slow and likes it rough? _

**.**

Julius put his hand on his neck and by the little pain, he knew that Ace had indeed leaved a mark.

.

-_Ace, this is serious! I want you to go to Diamond and…_

_-And how am I supposed to go to Diamond Julius? I already tried coming here but it´s blocked. There´s nowhere to reach anymore and no one to execute there either. – _Ace´s expression had a serene but fake smile.

_-Then you simply have to go to a moment where there was still somewhere to go and someone to kill._

.

If anything, at the moment Julius wanted Ace to reach her just so that the knight would be less psychotic. Doing nothing wasn´t Ace´s style and the knave had been acting stranger since the concert event.

Julius had to reckon that the times the knave had gone on adventure with Aria had caused the brunette to be more happy (for real) and stable, and since she was gone, his "friend(?)" had been more lost and needy than normally, which ended up translated as he being harassed by the knight.

They did need her so that clocks could be repaired, but taking that out, her disappearance had been deeply felt, maybe it was because Alice´s game had put on hold all the attraction strength of the potion of hearts for Aria´s game, maybe the fact that Alice´s game had been completed and it had taken forever for it to happen (and secretly everyone was at least a bit jealous of Blood) had strengthened the impulse of the game that they all wanted to win.

Maybe Aria had not given anyone a taste of "love", but she had provided something more, a taste of something different they, especially he, could not exactly describe as he really had little to none idea of relationships or human interactions. Admittedly he wasn´t exactly the most liked person in Wonderland and almost all the interaction he ever got was with some other roleholders like Gowland and Ace, then Alice had come along…. and had go away leaving him. Then Aria had appeared and flipped everything for everyone, destroying what they tough they knew about foreigners (and women) and had made sure to indicate that she didn´t care about human relations either, which was fine with him.

.

-(_**And yet she did opened up in some occasions…**_)

.

She had become more friend to him and Ace than Alice was. In some cases it was more clear; leaving the game aside and whatever jobs she had done, she had become an adventure pal for Ace. Sure, she was (somewhat) crazy too, but that was not it. She liked going camping with the knave and enjoyed the misadventures they ended in (Ace had related all of them… he still couldn´t believe the bear incident … o the angry raccoons…), she didn´t get tired from the long walks and apparently Ace´s inappropriate advances didn´t bother her and neither did his tendency of getting lost (but if you considered that she didn´t seem to mind to wake up with the two of them... half naked…).

It made him blush a bit to think that it was not that someone in this crazy world was perfect for her, but that she might just be perfect for someone in this world… or rather that she "could have been".

.

_-Oh Julius, what are you thinking? You´re blushing. __**;D – **_Ace said in Julius ear.

.

**FLASHBACK**

.

After Alice disappearance was settled when Joker came barging in and claiming that the whore had gone to look for the unicorn seal, the council was dismissed. Things were bad, but now they had become even more complicated. What the prime minister knew the incubus had found out, and he had gone to ask Nightmare himself.

He went back to the tower accompanied by one of the Twiddle twins and leaved the guy at the base to get rid of the attackers. He then waited till he was sure Nightmare had returned from visiting the prime minister in dreams while he pondered on what to do before visiting the other tower to know what the hell the rabbit was speaking about.

Nightmare hadn´t been so cooperative either, but he assured him that what Peter White had said was true.

.

_-And is that the best for Wonderland too?- _Julius was not exactly convinced.

_-The prime minister seems to think so, and if he out of all people can trust it then so can we, as long as we get her in time and convince her to let you repair clocks…And don´t tell me you aren´t worried! You can´t stop thinking the possible reasons why she hasn´t left this world already. _

_-That is unimportant. _

_-You sound as worried as Grey!_

_._

After that, Julius went back to ponder how they could reach Diamond, it wasnt certain that Alice would get the seal of the unicorn, and they still couldn´t reach Diamond, at least not anymore…

The idea he had at the council came back to him. They couldn´t reach Diamond now, but in the past they had been able to do so, at least some of them and for a motive until it simply became unreachable. And as far as he knew, one of the last persons that managed to go there was the executioner.

.

**END FLASHBACK**

.

_-Julius? You there?- _Ace poked him on the cheek a couple times but without result, so he took the chance to give Julius a kiss in the cheek and…

.

SMACK!

.

_-Ouch Julius, that hurt… But I can take responsibility if you want me to. _**– **Ace said with his stupid goofy trademarked grin and Julius palm imprinted in his cheek.

_-I will change the time of the staircase to the point when the other version of me was still alive in Diamond before you accepted the role of executioner. You must find a way to either jump forward to when she is or get us a way to reach her from this side._

_._

Because time had stopped in Diamond, Julius couldn´t do anything to reach it. But since he could deal with the time of things in Wonderland maybe he could do something regarding a way to reach it to another point in time as close as possible to when she was, but that meant that he needed to stay to keep the passage stable and someone else had to cross. And it might be selfish but Ace was the only person he wanted to go and get her.

_._

_._

* * *

_._

.

Grey was walking in a careful but fast pace among the shadows of the back streets, away from the battles that still ragged on. He needed to get something quite extravagant and hard to get, but he knew exactly the group capable of getting it for him. If they were still alive, that is.

.

**FLASHBACK**

**.**

-_Grey… remembers when we were still in Diamond?- _Nightmare asked him after the incubus came back from visiting the prime minister in dreams.

_-Yes._

_._

How could he not remember? The reason he had stopped being an assassin and his current role in Clover were because Nightmare had been called from Diamond to rule this other country and he hd decided to come too and kill his oteher self to take his post. (**AN: I made a oneshot story explaining this, it´s called "lizard´s tale" if you want more details.**_)_

_._

_-We cant go the way Alice went. it was Diamond itself who called for her. If I were to get access to a train wagon, if there ever where another train station master or not…. Maybe I can do something to make it work. _

_-If there is any left in clover or hearts I know how to get it. _

**.**

**END FLASHBACK**

**.**

Oh yes, he knew of a small nameless group that specialized in getting stuff, at least they used to be small.

He stood in what he remembered was one of their bars. It looked closed but he knew it was not. No bar of this kind would truly close despite what was happening outside. He went to the side alley and knocked on the service door. Obviously no one answered.

.

_-I want something only you can get_. – He said completely aware that he was being observed.

_._

A minute or so later the door opened to let him enter and he did so with discretion.

The inside was different from what he remembered and the business had been very good for what he could see. He was surprised that so many people where inside, all probably pointing their guns at him.

.

_-So…? What is it that you want? Something that a roleholder in your position can´t get surely must be rare and expensive._ – A faceless woman came to negotiate with him making sure to tell him that this was gonna cost him a lot.

_-It is. But you are the ones that can get it if I´m not mistaken. Especially since you seem to not be such a small group anymore._

_-We got good professional consulting. – _The woman said as if it was nothing, but Grey knew what that meant immediately. Aria had helped them somehow and this woman was claiming to be under the foreigner´s good will. A message to any roleholder that messing with them would not go well with the foreigner.

_-Indeed. But that is irrelevant to me and to clover.- _Grey knew how to convey more meaning to and his words have meant " _The foreigner´s association you claim does not impresses me and Clover does not mind your business"_ . – _I seek a train wagon, one of the ones that used to go to Diamond._

_._

He knew that it was very dangerous to disclose it but he really needed that. It was probably the only real chance they could get to reach the lost country.

.

_-Huh? Why would a roleholder want that when there´s a war going on in all territories_? _There is nowhere to scape to_. - The woman was keen, but she wanted to ask something too – _Tell us first. What happened lady Aria, the 2° foreigner._

_._

And that was something Grey hadn´t considered being asked. He had known that she had worked for faceless too but no one knew exactly how. They did know about the dancing classes and leasing music, but other than that nothing. However he had seen an improvement in the economy and it had been somewhat similar to the improvements the government (aka: Nightmare´s work… or rather "his" work) had since she started working for them. But it was n time to ponder it, his next works might be what would make this a deal or would close it. So he had to decide if tell the truth or not…

.

_-The second foreigner fell through the looking glass._ – It was unnecessary to say anything more, it was obvious now why he wanted a train wagon for.

_-Fine, let´s negotiate and we´ll see if we can get that. As long as you get Miss Aria back. She still has business with us. _

.

Maybe the ones that had underestimated Aria´s influence had been them.

_._

_._

* * *

_._

.

Armalite was very anxious. Lady A had fallen unconscious not too long ago and he had left there to get covers and do whatever else he could.

He had been surprised when the bunny came out being a roleholder. He hadn´t think that much about the rabbit having eyes because at the circus there was a stand where people could take a photo with cats that had eyes and costumes. He was told that Joker had created that illusion, and then there were also the bunnies for the magic tricks and the moving postals with pics of animals, so he hadn´t thought much about the black rabbit that the foreigner had used as a pillow and as a pet. At least until he spoke and she got VERY excited.

He remembered Rolf mentioning how she liked weird stuff (and maybe that had been what finally convinced her to keep something like him). And it had been a revelation and inspiration how she had so easily submitted a roleholder to her will and twirled him to her whim. Was that a foreigner power? She even had told him what was probably a secret of the roles. Then she had brought back another roleholder, it was amazing what she could do! Like what she had done to him, it was the most awesome magic ever!

But she had also been somehow upset at it being a roleholder. He knew that she was not happy with the roleholders of Hearts and Clover. He had heard all she said about how they had rejected her in favor of the other foreigner and he had seen how bad had looked. He also remembered that in the kitchen she had warned him that maybe the roleholders wanted to kill her too. Did they want to have only one foreigner? Was that why she had been so sad?

He wanted to give her a nice surprise when she woke up. But what?

.

-_I know!_

.

He headed back to get his old bloodstained clothes and then went to the place with the frozen collection where the king had been. She had showed a lot of interest in that dragon, right? Maybe he could get the thing out of the ice so that she could examine it! He didn´t knew if his old clothes still had any of her "mana magic" after Sydney had being freed, but maybe if he used them with the cloth she had used on the king´s ice like she had done, it could work.

_._

_._

* * *

_._

.

Aria woke up listening to the steady rhythm of a clock´s tick in her ear. Upon opening her eyes she saw that she was top a pileup where Sydney was the king´s pillow and she was using the king´s chest as such. It did reminded her of waking up with Julius and Ace, but less… dangerous? Comforting? Exciting? Weird? Whatever… she was very tired and still very hurt and her brain wasn´t cooperating with her.

She let herself be lost in the comfort of dreamless unconsciousness with one more thing settled. Now she knew what she needed to do if she wanted to solve another mystery of Wonderland and she knew that the place for that was a frozen landscape.

_._

_._

* * *

_._

.

**Sup?**

**Awwww :3 Julius DO worries about Ace . Maybe only because he is the one that ends up suffering the knight´s harassment XD (I had fun writing that scene, for some reason it seemed funny to me).**

**But Yeah! Now Ace might have a chance to go to Diamond, from there he just needs to somehow get to "when" she is. And Grey and Nightmare may be on the right track ;)**

**But what about Alice? Mwahaha, I wonder what kind of crap she´ll face. But we also know that Aria is gonna have a handsome face when she wakes up (Let´s call him… King Popsicle! , no? ) , but what could this King tell her that would be of importance? **

**Was I the only one that was like – "Oh, oh" O_O " when Armalite had his wonderful idea to surprise her?... well, if it works they´re in it for trouble.**

**And what about the dodo? As a preview for that… You´ll have Bunsen to blame! (seriously, that kitten is taking too much after it´s owner)**


	12. Chapter 12

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**CHAPTER 12**

**.**

Bunsen was meowing pathetically trying to catch his human´s attention at the other side of the "window glass". Somehow he knew it was useless, that what he was seeing was something that had happened to her in the past and he couldn´t comprehend it, he just knew it.

He had seen his human in different situations and he really wanted to go and get to her and let her pet him to her hearts content. He saw her fight, rest, sing, hunt, escape, kill and even mate. Now he understood a bit more about his human and that made him happy and proud. But he knew that she wasn´t happy and would need to get pleased once she woke up.

And he knew how to make her happy! He would bring her a big prey as present!

But what?

.

-_Meow! (__**I know!**__)_

.

That bird inside the ice was the biggest bird he had seen (well, he had catch the smell of bird coming from that man, so to him it was a bird) . It was even bigger than the first one he had wanted to bring to her!

His human liked strange things, her acceptance of his past gift (the little human that got old or young) proved it, so that one bird was purr-fect. Not only that, it looked like her past mate!

This was the best idea he could have had... If only he could find the way to get that bird of its cage and take him to his mistress to get her happy and pleased so that she would please him, that was all he wanted (beside a nap and maybe some tuna).

But what if she leaved him?

He saw an image of his human leaving him alone and abandoned to go with some of the other males with eyes from this world or simply to disappear.

It was a question that entered his brain from outside but he dismissed it as a perky bug. Had his human wanted to leave him in the streets she would have never rescued him in the first place, even in the many occasion when she leaved him under others care it was temporary, she always returned to him with all her love and attention. Something she reserved for him alone. And if some of those males ended up with her it was because he had approved it.

Bunsen continued on his way along the strange place.

What if she did something terrible to him?

He now saw images of her using her strange petting ability (the one that only she had that tickled his clock) in a torturous way til to the kid he had given her. Her eyes had looked scary like a big predator. If she did that to a human child why would she do that to him?

Another stupid bug of an idea. She had done things to him already. He was a smart kitten and knew that he was not like he had been when she found him. She had even given him the strange patch of his leg and his ear and his little mind was different than what it had been when he met her, she could have hurt him but she had always ensured that she was pleasing to him. That told him how much she cared for him.

Next he saw his human lying near the frozen lake he had passed, she was dull and cold and snow was slowly covering her.

-_Do you hear the snow against the window-panes, Kitty? How nice and soft it sounds! Just as if some one was kissing the window all over outside. I wonder if the snow loves what it kisses so gently and covers them up snug? you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says, "Go to sleep, darling, till the summer comes again if it ever does"_

_-HISS!_

No! He would not allow his human to fall asleep like his mother and the rest of his litter had. He was growing up a fine feline and he would get strong to protect those what he cared about. Who else would feed him then? even if he could hunt he liked the food her human provided, and no one else was as good as petting as her, he felt it in his clock, it was deep and nice all around and about. Other´s petting could be nice but only on his skin.

So the little kitten wanted power? What if he ended up hurting her?

This getting very bothersome. He saw another scene, this time he was a big (awesome) scary beast that shattered the ice around the caged bird with his roar. His human seemed to get angry and scared of him and he attacked his human and the kid that shared a mark with him until they not moving anymore.

That made him stop for a second. It was a scary scene. He shacked but his fur was still on edge. But it was still stupid! He was still a kitten!...err… cat! Yeah, he was her kitten, she was his human, as simple as that. He was not that big thing and even if he were he would not harm her (who would feed him then?). Maybe the image was wrong and she had tried to teach him how to fight? She had done that with Biggs and Wedge and other of those humans under them. She would probably train that kid too, right? So if he ever grew to be such a big cat she would train him too. Besides, it wouldn´t be so bad. She had ended up hurt a lot and very often. She needed someone actually capable of protecting her. If the humans could do it then he´d do whatever he could.

What if…?

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-_HISS! (__**ENOUGH**__!)- _The kitten was tired and bothered of those stupid images.

.

He was decided, he would do whatever was needed to get strength for him and for her. He roared his determination and continued on the path that hadn´t been there minutes before.

During his explorations, somehow and at some point he found a small shiny yellow medal on a silver collar in the shape of a sword that had a image of a big cat, it was shiny and he played with it until it somehow got stuck in his neck.

Now he really needed a human to get it off his neck.

_._

_._

* * *

_._

.

Alice opened her eyes.

.

_-Oh Alice, you fell asleep on the garden again?- _The female voice was soft kind and amused. A voice Alice hadn´t heard in a long while.

_._

_-Lorina!? _

_-You look as if you got lost in a good dream. But it´s time to wake up Alice. – _Lorina said with a smile and tended her hand to help her sister get up.

_._

Alice was confused and felt a bit groggy. When she extended her hard to take Lorina´s she saw a beautiful zephyr ring in her hand, Blood´s connector, and she retreated her hand to examine it better as her memories of Wonderland and Blood passed through her mind.

.

-_What is it Alice? Are you still sleepy?_

_._

Alice looked at Lorina while holding her hand against her chest over her heart.

_._

_-Lorina… I´ve been having a wonderful dream. It´s in a strange but magnificent place where even stranger people live and magic stuff happens all the time. It is a place not without risks and people die often, but there I found true friends and even someone that I truly love and loves me back. It might be a dream, but dreams are often more real than reality and it´s a dream I want to live._

_-Is that so Alice? But what about your responsibilities in the real world? Would you abandon your family to be in a dream? _

_-Really suddenly in the dream appeared a girl that was not part of the dream, just like me. But she isn´t anything like me. She reminded me a bit of you Lorina. She´s capable and smart but she is also very alone and needs help to realize that she does not need to be alone. _

_She made me see that I´m useless. But there are still things that I can do to help and that no one else can. I´m sure that someone else more capable can take care of my responsibilities here. Like you Lorina. Sometimes I´m jealous of you, you are perfect. –_She blurted out

_-I think you admire me too much Alice, no one is perfect. You need to grow yourself into a fine woman. What if I was not around anymore? What if something happens when you´re gone?_

_-I guess life would go on Lorina. I would miss you a lot, but you´re always in my heart, are you not?_

_._

At this point Alice started crying and Lorina hugged her tightly.

_._

-_Of course I am Alice, I´ll always be and I wouldn't blame you. I love you and I just want you to be happy_. _Sometimes is not bad to be a little selfish._

.

Alice remembered all the times Lorina comforted her and all the times they spent together.

.

_-Lorina! Alice´s tutor is looking for you!_ – A younger girl came into the garden looking for Lorina. It was Edith Lidell. Alice´s little sister.

.

_-Then I shall go, don't I? A lady can afford to be a little late but not too much. _

_._

Lorina got up and winked at Alice. Before Alice could do or say anything else, her older sister was already gone, leaving her with her younger sibling.

Edith was looking at hear with hate and turned around to leave too.

.

_-Edith, wait! _

-_What do you want?- _Edith looked at her with disdain.

_-What did I ever do to you to make you hate me?_

_-It´s all your fault! Lorina leaved me because of you! You dumped all your responsabilities and she let you but she wont let me! And you leaved too!- _And she turned around and ran away.

_._

Alice could see her memories once again. Many times when she had been enjoying her time with Lorina Edith was there behind a curtain or at the other side of a door, silently and judgingly.

All the time Lorina spent with Alice was time she didn´t spent with Edith, and while Alice had time to play and Lorina conceded it (like when she read Alice stories during Sunday afternoons), Lorina always instructed Edith and rarely paid her more attention than that and Alice herself hadn´t spent more time with the younger Lidell girl either.

It was as if Lorina was preparing Edith to take on all the responsibilities and Alice had dumped them on her. Alice feel bad about it. Not only had she forgot about Lorina but she never even though of Edith.

.

_-But she´ll have to decide her own way._

_._

Alice knew that she might never make peace with Edith even if she returned and she had dumped everything on Edith. She would face many challenges but she would have to make her own life. She was prepared for it and she would go on. Edith had never been as hesitant as Alice and she had quite the strong character, Alice would only get in her way and couldn´t do anything but wish her little sister the best of luck.

But there was something that Alice could do and she would do it. After all she had lived, she now knew that there was a place for her and someone that loved her awaiting her return.

_._

Her memories repeated once again and this time Alice saw Lorina in a new light. She was sick, and with every memory her sister seemed to get weaker. Alice felt herself grow older in heart while her sister seemed to fade away from life progressively. Now Alice truly remembered and she didn´t know if she wanted to forget it again, but she knew that she purely loved her sister.

.

-_ Alice…. I love you and I just want you to be happy, I always did so_. _Sometimes is not bad to be a little selfish, specially to protect the ones you love. Goodbye little sister, live a happy life._

.

Lorina was holding Alice´s hands in hers. When she disappeared Alice opened her hand to see a beautiful ring of white gold with a purple gem on it. The gem seemed to have an image of a unicorn´s head.

.

-"_Well, now that we have seen each other," said the Unicorn, "if you'll believe in me, I'll believe in you. Is that a bargain?" _

_._

Alice though she had heard a voice.

_._

_._

* * *

_._

.

He opened his eyes to the brightness of life once again after too many years frozen in Crysta´s ice. He was numb and weak but he was alive and he was free. He tried to move but it was too hard to do so yet. He knew he needed more rest to reestablish himself but damn, he had rested for way too long already.

How long had it been it? Days? Weeks? Years? He didn´t know. Crysta was a very volatile little girl.

He had meet the new queen not that long ago and she had a terrible fascination of freezing everything and had threated in various occasions to freeze him too if he didn´t play with her, after which he decided to stay as away from her as possible. Unfortunately for him, her threat was real and she fulfilled it one day when she caught him and froze him.

.

-(_**I really hope she is not around…**_)- The king was somewhat worried of what the queen would try. Then he heart a tick-tock bellow his head.

.

Trying to move once more he detected the weight of a person pinning him down and using him as a mattress (it was a heavy person) and that he was using something furry, warm and alive as pillow.

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-_Nice to see you´re alive, your majesty – _His "pillow" spoke but didn´t move.

_-Who are you?_ – The king couldn´t turn to see and wasn´t up to use a royal formal speech at the moment.

_-Sydney Black, Prime Minister of the Country of Diamond at your service, your majesty._ – Sydney had sensed when the king moved but being bellow he couldn´t move.

-_May I inquire about the current situation? _

_-Yes your majesty. But perhaps I´d be best if you rest first. – _Sydney advised the king. It would not be so good to convey all the dire and strange situations to someone that had been out of it for years.

_-I insist prime minister. I would at least want to know how long I´ve been absent from my duties and where is the queen. Why are you serving as a pillow in that form and who is… hugging me._

_-Very well your majesty. But after I answer please try to rest, you´ll have to be in your best judgment and condition to deal with her once she wakes up._

_-You mean the queen?_

_-No your majesty. I mean the foreigner that is currently "hugging" you. The queen is gone and so is everyone else. This foreigner unfroze me and keep me alive as she managed with you. I´m still weak and can´t change form yet. She and her aid decided to use me to provide some warm for you as to keep you from dying. _

_._

There was silence while the king pondered Sydney´s information. It was obvious that there was a lot more and that he truly needed to be in a better shape to listen to it, not to mention that the fact that a foreigner was currently laying with him was quite…rare.

.

-_Very well, I shall rest prime minister. But first tell me this foreigner´s name. I also expect to hear everything else as soon as I´m a bit better. _

_-She has not provided a name your majesty. Her aid calls her "Lady A" and she offered the code name "Shatterdome". - _ Sydney hesitated a bit - _Your majesty… once she wakes up be wary of her. She is not what you´d expect from a foreigner._

_._

_._

_._

.

Biggs and Wedge had finally entered a painting and found themselves in a corridor that lead them to another painting that was in an office. They went out and heard people speaking outside of the office.

.

_-Do we have any way to get out from this hatter´s mansion yet?_

_-And what about our other folks? You think they managed to get the foreigner?_

_-I doubt it. They wanted to freeze her in that ice cave to let Diamond "feed" from her eternally. Have they managed it then the territories would have connected and we wouldn´t be stuck here. _

_-That´d make things easier for us. We could then just shatter that and bye-bye foreigner, bye-bye Diamond and bye-bye Wonderland_

_-Yeah, but at least they jumped with the lullaby, so they are closer than us. _

.

Wedge understood it faster than Biggs. They had seen a bunch of frozen stuff in the museum and heard about the queen of Diamond freezing people from their "allies" (maybe not so anymore). Apparently their allies wanted to freeze their beloved boss here in Diamond so that Diamond would gain her energy.

Well, that was just not gonna happen. If Diamond wanted their boss favor it´s have to earn it by playing nice the game.

.

-_Let´s get rid o´them all, k? – _Biggs said quietly to his friend and took out his sword with a wicked smile.

-_Let´show them not to mess with the lullaby and it´s boss – _Wedge replied with equal eagerness.

.

Maybe their boss didn´t like useless violence, but she was very approving of the necessary violence and this was completely necessary, not to mention that this was a good moment to test just how strong they truly had become. Wedge prepared to cover Biggs, his friend was better with swords and that was an advantage as a silent weapon. Both of them were ready and eager to make a massacre in this place, no quarrel and no pity; and then, they would find out their "allies".

_._

_._

* * *

.

_._

At the train station Nora felt herself in need to set the station marching on, they felt as if there was something way more weird going on. The tensions between the lines of their allies had escalated and it was obvious that everyone was on edge. They needed a way to move out of the station soon and the trains were the solution.

_._

_._

* * *

_._

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-_Lady A! __**:)**_

_-You´re finally awake. May we inquire about your health_? – A regal masculine voice said.

.

Aria woke up to find herself lying down and using Sydney as a plush toy again while the king was looking after her with the help of Armalite.

.

-_My health could be better. What about yours your majesty? _

_-Far better thanks to you I´ve been told._

_-Army? Sydney?... – _She said, first looking at Armalite and then released Sydney from her grasp, whom (a bit hesitantly) got away from her.

_-We are fine, you need not to concern. It seems that what you said about a foreigner´s proximity and energy was true.- _Sydney said while stretching

_-We think there is a lot to explain from everyone - _The king interjected and all agreed.

_._

_._

* * *

_._

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"**Bendito sea el …!" , Alice finally settled things with herself (such miracle!), and soon we´ll know the full story of what the heck went on in Diamond. **

**And next chap comes with reavy discovery stuff**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hi everyone. Here´s a new chapter and a notice: Theres a fic from Sleeping Moon called Carrot Cake (OC X Elliot) , it has a foreigner with a sci-fi philia and an objective approach. if you like that give it a chance **

**PDT: I helped cowrite it´s next chapter (12)**

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* * *

**CHAPTER 13**

**.**

-_Sydney, please tell us what happened to Diamond. – _Aria asked the black rabbit after some quite vague presentations.

.

Sydney explained as best as he could what had happened in Diamond.

.

-_This escapes us. How can this be…_ - The king seemed utterly affected and it wasn´t for less. He had been in a beautiful and rich country before he was frozen and when he opened his eyes everyone was gone, the place was a ruin, Diamond was disappearing and time wasn´t moving. – _We might as well have never woken up! It´s useless! Everything´s gonna truly die! Crysta should have killed me! Better to die frozen and…!_

.

_**-SMACK! - **_The sound of her slap at the king´s face echoed in the castle.

_._

_-Control yourself. There are still things that can be done and the prime minister has a plan, there is a foreigner here for the time being and there is other one back in hearts. That means more MP for Wonderland. _

_._

The king was speechless. She had slapped him. And had forced him to calm down. It was proper of a man, much less a king to fall into such panicked state like a faceless commoner without dignity!

.

(_**Two foreigners!)- **_The king now registered her words. In any case, he understood that he should head the prime minister´s advice about this foreigner. She seemed to know more than what a foreigner should, and if there was another foreigner at the other side of the mirror then there might be hope yet.

_._

_-Who are you foreigner? I guess that despise everything I owe you my life…_

_-I´ve gone by many names. Currently you can use the code RapaNui. I´ve done much but that is irrelevant. I´m a white neck mercenary, if you want to use me do so wisely and there might be a chance for this place yet. But don´t count on any loyalties, just the work done and nothing more. _

_-A mercenary foreigner? We´ve never heard of something like it._

_-The roleholders in Clovers and Hearts neither until they used me. I´ll advise you to not put me on the same category as those foolish, naïve and lovely girls foreigners seem to be. -_Her words seemed to convey a lot more behind them. She gave no time to anyone to ask -_Sydney… Please tell me about Alice´s stay in Diamond. _

_._

Sydney was shocked by her behavior. He couldn't decipher this woman. It seemed that something was very wrong with her, but at the same time there was something just right about her and he coudn´t pinpoint what in either case. The only thing he was sure about (and that made him wary of her) was that she held his life at her whims. She just needed to order him anything and he would have to comply… and yet she still had asked him with "please" .

The bunny told how the foreigner called Alice fell in Diamond (he omitted that over himself) and was spared by Crysta; soon after she resided at the train station and disappear for a while to appear again a couple years later without time passing by her age. Sydney told about the hatters thinking she was a spy, Crysta´s fascination with the foreigner, the incubus strange behavior with her and how she had again disappeared after the caucuss game.

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-_So the other foreigner came here too? And twice?_ –The king asked .

-_But HOW did she come to Diamond? As far as I know, it had been already many years since Diamond was impossible to reach… Well, I do know that she WAS supposed to arrive in Diamond in the first place but Peter White brought her to hearts instead. Even the cap of her vial was of Hearts._

_-Is that so?... Then the only possible reason is that Diamond called her here. You do know why, right foreigner? –_The king needed to confirm what she knew.

_-Yes. –_ It was her simple answer, but the king saw in her eyes that she indeed had questions too_ – Sydney… what was the state of her game here?_

_-I beg your pardon? – _The rabbit said

_-Don´t beg, it´s unbefitting prime minister. I meant to ask if she was lured to love anyone here and how deep the unnatural love for her due to the game went. How far did her game reached here?_

_._

For the prime minister and the white king those questions were strange. Then Sydney recalled all his memories of everything regarding Alice and noticed something even more weird, something unfathomable that surprised the 3 present wonderlanders.

.

_-I can´t recall anyone loving her as dictated by the game. And although she got somewhat close to various holders she didn´t came to love anyone and seemed to miss someone somewhere else._

_-Just like I though…_

_-Do you know the reason of such? –_Sydney was more than curious.

_-I think I do. Content to know that at the point when she came here, this country didn´t have enough energy left to force anyone to love her. And because she didn´t came to love anyone here then she didn´t share her "love" energy, aka the Mana thing I mentioned before with the country and Diamond could not restock._

_-I fairly say that I don´t understand what you may be speaking about. – _Sydney commented

_-And you don´t need to. _

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She thanked Sydney and pondered the information. Then she released a tense breath before addressing the king.

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-_Your majesty… now I have a question for you- _She seemed unsure when she looked at him in the eyes – _Do you know of a foreigner called Lorina Lidell?_

-_I do. She was here when I became king. – _He was surprised by this. Could a foreigner know about other foreigners?

_-Then I´ll need to speak with you in private_. – This was even more surprising to them.- _Meanwhile, Armalite and Sydney, I want you to go to the library and get all the books with information of any kind about foreigners you can find. Even if it´s just a name, an anecdote or a mention. _

_._

Sydney couldn´t understand what was the point of that. But he HAD to comply, no matter how weird it seemed to him or how suspicious it was that she wanted to speak in private with the king.

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-m_mmhhh… Lady A…?- _Armalite looked ashamed – _I don´t know how to read…_

_._

If one could particionate the frames of her expression it would have gone in a procession of surprise, bewildment, shock, indignation, fear and finally a strange mix of terror and compassion that ended up in a shriek as she threw her arms to hug him tightly and then hold him by the shoulders to ask if it was true for it was the most terrible thing she had heard.

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-_My little Armalite, we´ll fix that!... I know! SYDNEY!- _She was still holding the surprised kid with almost teary eyes when she addressed Sydney with a commanding bark.

_-Yes, mam!? –_ The prime minister´s response was automatic.

_-Go with him to the library and teach him how to read and write_! – It was an absolute command, he couldn´t refuse. However he was completely surprised how her priorities changed and how the legendary compassion of foreigners was shown in her. To help an illiterate faceless child… even if he had passed through a lot (by her cause) she hadn´t shown any true care or worry about the child beyond using him as aid and test subject (he remembered that he was not more either), yet it had been something like this that triggered such reaction.- _WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR! Army, take him to the library. YOU ARE GOING TO LEARN TO READ AND WRITE. THE MOST IMPORTANT SKILLS IN LIFE._

-_Yes mam! – _Both kid and bunny said at the same time. Both were bind to her and couldn´t refuse; it wasn´t as if they even considered it either.

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Once they were gone, she sighted again and turned to converse with the king of Diamond.

_._

_-Now your majesty… I want to know about the deal Lorina made._

_._

_._

* * *

_._

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Blood was even more worried about Alice than when he saved her from the prison. This time he couldn´t even save her from Joker before he kidnapped her and somehow made her search of some useless fairytale relic. He somehow didn´t fear that she loved him. He knew it and now that there were "married" it was undeniable. But he was fearful that she´d forget or that she´d face whatever terrible reality she had escaped from, he couldn´t go to save her this time, nor could he do anything about it.

He had vented his frustration on every single faceless that dared enter his territory and his own men had been wise enough to avoid him. He was currently sitting in his office with his head between his hands. There was nothing he could do but believe in her and he knew it.

_._

_._

* * *

_._

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The king and the foreigner were in the kitchen. Sydney and Armalite had gone to the library and she had offered to talk over a meal and a drink. The king had gladly accepted as he literally haven´t eaten anything in years.

Supporting each other out they went to the kitchen (a place the king had actually never visited)even though it took them time as he was still very weak and she was quite tired and hurt; once there they started to converse over what he knew.

.

-_So… Lorina´s deal was that she was giving up her "life possibilities" so that her little sister Alice could come to Wonderland one day and not die because she had been diagnosed with the same lethal illness as her and her mother. Something that would kill both of them. So rather than having her life wasted Lorina "pledged" her life possibilities to Diamond for the sake of her little sister´s life and happiness here, and used her vial for it._

_-Yes. Although I´m not sure how, but it seems that it worked. She somehow depicted the details for such when she went back. –_ The king was finding hard to accept that the girl in front of him knew so much. She alone had unraveled most of this world already and that was something never heard of. – _Diamond still exists because Lorina gave her life to it and because it seems that Crysta froze even the time by surrending her existence._

_-But if Alice was going to die from that disease too how did coming into wonderland would have stop that from happening?_

_-Because Wonderland can bring and keep a foreigner to the moment when they were most happy so that they can continue to be happy._

_-Eh? Like a quantum Zeno effect?... but being quantum locked is… or would it be time dilatation?... anyways. How did she go back if she sacrificed her vial? And how did she managed the deals anyways._

-_Lorina was very good at manipulating peoples feelings. Her game was going on, so it was very easy for her to coarse and manipulate people that were in love with her –_He had barely become the king at the time and was quite young when Lorina came and tricked him too. The king seemed uncomfortable with that, especially because this new foreigner seemed crazier by the minute_ - She used "the key of the door" to go back to her world. _

_-What key and what door? _

_-It´s an old object said to be able to open any door or way in this world. You can say that it is also like the power of the Cheshire cat in some ways. I saw it once, it was a small golden key._

_-And what do you mean by possibilities? _

_-It´s the energy foreigner´s provide with their love. To be frank I´m not sure. Such knowledge is lost or perhaps it was never there.– _His grey eyes looked at her with fascination_ - But I want to know about you._

_._

The king was quite perplexed at her, from her appearance to her way of speaking. A foreigner was rare, but this one was even rarer indeed being polite to not call ehr weird or strange, it was said that foreigners were larger than life and twice as natural and it was true. He indeed was curious, but before that, his duties demanded him to do what he ought to, and for that he needed to know the status of her game.

_._

-_Nothing much to say. You may ask, but I may or may not answer – _She was tired and all her energy was going to assimilate all she was learning, the missing pieces of Wonderland´s puzzle.

_-Let me see if I got it. You arrived into wonderland by your own will even if such was on accident and you appeared in the country of Clover but you were supposed to arrive to Spades._

_-That is correct. The cap of the bottle has the symbol of the country that calls the foreigner. Alice is hearts and mine is Spades. But since there was already some in hearts and both Spades and Clover were (supposedly) lost the place I landed was Clover._

_-And you went by on your own and didn´t choose a territory to reside_? – This was very baffling for the man. She had managed to survive alone and quite well it seemed.

_-Yes, although I worked for every territory in some way but I remained neutral in all their affairs._

_._

The king asked what those jobs were and she just mentioned a very basic outline like "professional consulting, project design and management", etc. The conversation let them to some minor things that looked more like a light chat despite the seriousness of the situation, by the end of it the king knew about her last night and mission before falling through the mirror and what little had transpired for her in Diamond. At that point the king went to the core of what he truly required to know.

_. _

_-Do you… have anybody come to be of worth for your affection?- _The king went hasty as that was the center of the issue. - _I´m sure you know what that means for this world._

_-No. –_The king looked relieved at her answer, but not for long- _Im biologically incapable of such. I can´t hold onto emotions long enough for them to become feelings and my brain does not connect that way. That´s why I´m not the kind of foreigner this world wants or needs._

_-And yet you managed to unfreeze the prime minister and myself providing a bit more of such "not love" to keep me alive. – _He was realizing something she hasn´t

_-That was my equivalent of the average foreigner´s love you could say. Love is but a bunch of biochemical reactions and certain brain connections. Adrenaline, dopamine, norepinephrine, phenylethylamine, oxytocin, vasopressin_, _etc. … there is one specially that I can´t produce or assimilate on neural basics for a limbic resonance so no synaptic bridge exist. However I go around it in different ways it seems, I never got to study myself much. What you saw was me focusing my will fascination, interest, etc with the passion of the moment to achieve a definite goal. I really can´t explain it easily at the moment._

_-So you DO love in your own way. – _He didn´t understood what she meant. But for all she had told him and what little he´d seen with that faceless child and the prime minister, he knew that wonderland actually recognized her intent as love of sorts, not quite real love but not false either.

_-Think whatever you want your majesty….-_She wasn´t that kind on explaining herself, besides there was something rounding her mind- _Possibilities, huh? Anything more you can tell me about that? What do you understand by such?_

_-I think that such energy comes from the possibilities that a foreigner renounces in their world. Foreigners have infinite possibilities unlike people in this world. You can choose what you want and how. We must follow the rules and fulfill the purposes of our roles. Even when there are other versions of ourselves in other countries its still the same, even if the role changes for some we will never go beyond a possible way or two._

_-Not unless a foreigner comes along, right?_

_-Yes, but even so we are still what our roles sets us to be. For example, the very few that are born with eyes are basically destined to hold a role, for those who have a role their future is but to play it and there is no fate but that allowed by the rules._

_-….You are wrong but maybe only in ontological meaning. Thinking about quantum physics and mechanics in the time space frame of dimensional theories; Fate, future and destiny exist but are not the same as time is but an illusion of possible multiple events…future are decisions that you will have to take and fate is the fact that you will have to take a choice at some point regardless of what that choice question is or what you decide and…. And I think I figured it! – _She screamed in utter surprise.

_._

She waved her hands a lot and started pointing in the air as if she was connecting invisible dots while mumbling incomprehensible terms and walking back and forth with haste. The king didn´t knew if she was talking to herself or what had happen suddenly to her mental state. She looked scared, eager, enthusiast, shocked and afraid at the same time.

_._

_-Ok, lets supposed that I am at the starting point and I have many roads to choose from but I can choose only one. No matter what I choose I will have to choose even if that roads go is back to point one and I go throw another road or choose not to take any of those roads and create a new path or… _

_-May I inquire if… - _but she went on

_-But when a foreigner comes here she is presented with different paths to choose for love… to focus all her energy into loving someone and every new choice creates countless possibilities, but the possibilities for the people here cant happen so energy is merely released. And love is also restricting, love creates lots of energy but at the same times forbids LOTS of other options. _

_-Are you talking about the roleholders? - The king said but s_he was definitely dialoging with herself.

_-That also explain the quantum lock of a system of events that stop existing as a superposition of states! If there is a time dilatation between the worlds then when Alice came here it didn´t matter what other future possibilities of dead by sickness were to happen because the energy of all of them would be used continuously here and they would not come around and as _each _branching choice to follow whatever path does not lead to death by that sickness! _

_-What?_

_-Think of it like... like ... LIKE A CLOCK!, Yes, a clock is a goood analogy! If wonderland was a clock then roleholders would be the hours marked and faceless would be like minutes or seconds, maybe even less but I´m not going as far as parsecs... But the numbers and time would be limited. However, a foreigner has a lot of time, even 1 day of a foreigner would be 60 secs*60min* (23:56:04 rounded to 24)=... 86400 secs ! If that were a sizing a foreigner would be worth 86400 chances a day! . Of course it´s a useless calculation but it serves as an approximation example._

_-You are calculating that!? - T_he king was utterly astonished. Maybe she had used a clock´s time as a random example, but that had been way closer to the truth of this world than anyone had ever get.

_-And with every little interaction with someone, there are more chances of something new to happen. That may partly be why interacting with roleholders fill the vial faster than with faceless. Because the chances for something happening with roleholders are FAR greater than those of faceless, in addition to all the stuff I already discovered… Then the vial…. - _It was already a bunch sentences behind that her explanation had become a monologue._  
_

_-Vial?_

_-…YES, THE VIAL! It is a sort of converter that does the opposite of an atomic bomb, it transforms energy into matter. Every drop of liquid corresponds to exponential amounts of the life possibilities and choices of a foreigner!_

_-Could you please rephrase all that._

_-But that might mean that I…. – _She quavered. She could not deny the possibility that she was under a situation similar to Alice´s.

_._

The king was out of the loop on her terms. However what she had just discovered was outstanding and may as well be the very nature of his world. And he discovered something about her that she was apparently not aware. She indeed had capacity for love, different, unattached, free and meager but it was there, and with it a chance just as meager for his country and himself.

.

-_Huh? I you don´t mind… and even if you do. I think I need a drink – _She said barely noticing his presence. - I feel as if I just manage to divide by 0.

_._

_._

* * *

_._

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Sydney found himself once again being carried in Aria´s arms. The king had gone to the library to continue the lessons with the kid and follow her petition and because the castle was different from what the monarch rememberedwhile he was guiding her towards the portal painting of certain lake she wanted to visit, he was leading her to an outdoor terrace where the painting was a mural.

At least he now was clothed (she had conceded to make a stop on his room for that and to rest).

.

**FLASHBACK**

**.**

_-That looks stupid. Too bombacho (whatever that meant) How can you keep the hat in place with your ears anyways?_ – She commented on his chose of clothing .

_. _

She was lying on her side and resting her head over her arm while he took out clothes from his drawers, it was hard because the drawers were human sized and the handles for his closed were out of his reach in this form (something he´d never even considered). She had been more distracted since speaking with the king.

.

_-Well, it´s dignifying and I happen to like it. – _In fact Crysta had chosen all his "uniforms", but he was not admitting that to anyone .

_-I think it´s too colorful. You would look better with a simple combination with little accents to combine with your black fur._

-_You like color black? _

_-My favorite color actually. Its elegant, combines with everything and accentuates form and accessories. Your fur actually has a nice shade of black and its lustrous enough to reflect light nicely. –_Sydney approved of her opinion, until … -_Maybe I´ll make a hat out of your fur once I´m done with my experiments._

–_This is better than going around naked_. – He really didn´t want to know what she was planning for him.

_-But you´re a bunny. You have fur. Thus you don´t need clothes_ .

_-Of course I do! Going naked is the same regardless of my form. At least once I can change back I´ll have my clothes on. – _How could she consider that?! True, he may be a rabbit but he was no common rabbit and … arggh! This female was simply impossible! But if White tolerated her (or even more) then he was far more capable than him of getting along surely.

_-So you have no qualms about me carrying your "naked" self or sharing my bed while I was naked too? – _Her expression was a perfect poker face.

_-About that… - _He turned his back to her as he huffed to hide his embarrasment, if possible his ears lowered more– _I apologize. I should have try to convey that it was improper for me to be in the same room with a female in such way when you didn´t even knew that I was not a common rabbit._

_-Huh? Mmhhh… apology accepted. – _Then she closed her eyes and smiled lightly –_ In your defense you´ve got to know that you are quite cute and huggable and your fur is very soft. At least in this form, once you can change back I might change my mind. Although I don´t think my opinion of Peter has changed since I learned that he has another form __**(I still want to dissect him**__). _

_-May I ask what kind of relation you had with someone such as Peter White?- _ Sydney was looking at her over his shoulder from the floor . He needed to know what had transpired between this foreigner and the White rabbit.

-mh_?.. He´s an insufferable obsessive germophobic jerk. But he is also quite a responsible and capable prime minister. I guess I respect him for his work as he always ends up doing the queen and the knight´s paperwork. No wonder he actually hired me to take care of the nastiest administrative and organizational jobs. Like that time he wanted me to deal with city´s sewage problems or the road´s improvements. _

_-He must have value your work too if he hired you. – _Sydney wanted to shout that he was a far more capable prime minister. Still he found impressive that White had hired someone for such nasty but important and delicate stuff. He got onto the bed and asked her: – _What else did he hire you for?_

_._

She related the basics of what jobs she had done for the white rabbit. The strangest one was the opera thing.

.

_-So you can sing? I´d like to hear it. There is even a concert hall here better than the one at Hearts castle._

_-Maybe at some point… But I doubt it. There won´t be time for …urgg!_

_._

She recoiled on the bed as pain ripped through her abdomen when she tried to change position_._

_._

_-Are you alright!? _

_-No…_

_._

She said and did her best to roll. Then she unlatched her suit over her abdomen.

Sydney could see that indeed she was not alright. Purple reddish marks of hits were on her skin and at her side a huge wash was finishing scarring but it had received hit over it too, probably being the reason of her sudden pain, and all of the mess her body was, it was crossed by metal lines along her flesh that seemed to have been carved over it. Last time he had seen her naked, but it had been kind of dark and.. well, the foreigner´s naked female anatomy drew his attention to other zones.

.

-_How did this happened?! Wasn´t any of those roleholders capable of protecting a foreigner? – _Maybe the game had been so weak that it was nonexistent in Diamond, but at the other side of the mirror it should have been going on. Wa sit possible that they were SO incompetent!?

_-Foreigner or not_ _I have always had to protect myself Sydney.-_She got a balm from some compartment in her suit and applied it to her wounds –_ And why would they? They were too busy fawning over Alice. I was just the strange girl that went to work for their territories every once in a while. The times I got hurt were because I got near them and I already lost count of the times that I´ve almost got killed in this world. _

_._

Sydney couldn´t believe it. He didn´t knew what had transpired for her. But it certainly explained the stance she seemed to have regarding those with duties.

.

_-You shouldn´t wear such heavy armor if you are hurt._

_-I´d be dead without it._

_-There´s nothing here that can hurt you. –_She raised her eyebrow at his words.

_-There is you and the king. There might be the dodo, there is whatever prevents Bunsen from appearing, there are the roleholders from the other countries, some factions of faceless….– _She said matter of factly without emotions-

_-It´s not as if Im going to try anything against you. You could stop me with one word and I still need you to find the dodo._

-_ I don´t trust you._

_-Why would that be?_

-_You don´t need to know - _She tried to get up but couldn´t - _Damn… I guess I will have to rest a bit…Sydney… Don´t hurt me in any way or let anyone do so while I rest. That´s and order.- _She said before closing her eyes and soon she was asleep.

_._

Even if she had complete power over him and had forced his loyalty already, she still didn´t trust him. Surely whatever happened to her had let her to be utterly distrustful. And he felt somewhat offended that she didn´t trust his word. It would be unbeckoming and low to harm a wounded female despite his current circunstances. But he couldn´t exactly blame her either.

He stood there at her side not knowing what to do; when she got a hold of him in her restless sleep that issue was settled as he could do nothing but serve as a huggable plush toy again.

It wasn´t so bad. At least they were clothed and he felt a little proud of himself because she had priced his small form as well as his nicely groomed fur while she had not mentioned anything about Peter besides his work, althout that first comment about Peter White having his muzzle between her legs still made him itchy to know what relationship a foreigner like this would have accepter with the other not so soft or cute bunny.

.

-(_**She does**** have good taste in colors at least.**_)

_._

**.**

**END FLASHBACK**

.

_-Are you sure you want to go there? Maybe you should rest more first._

_-I need to. The last of the pieces to solve the puzzle are in the past. If it´s true that the lake can drown a foreigner in the past then I will solve everything. And I know if I might be forgetting something important. – _She didn´t told him that she feared the possibility (almost certainty at this point) that she was quantum locked just like Alice.

.

They reached the place and stood in front of a big mural painting of a lake. Sydney was startled that it appeared to be completely frozen.

.

-_This is it._ -She recognized it from her dreams.

-_I can go with you. – _The rabbit ventured was if it was a bother to him.

_-That´s not how it works and we both know it. I must go alone._

_-What if…_

_-Whatever happens will happen. But If anything bad happens… - _And she unconsciously held him tighter_- Just take care of Armalite, please. He can take care of himself but he is still…_

_-Is that an order?_

_-Nope. It's a request. _

_._

And before he could say anything she took a hold of his ear with one hand and took it to her lips to give a small playful bite. With that she left him in the floor and entered the painting that connected the castle with the real lake´s location.

_._

_._

* * *

_._

.

**And that's what happened.  
**

**She didn´t care about the torture of his clock or anything else but when he says he doesn't know how to read she goes ballistic O_o**

**But hey, she got some bonding time with Sydney, and if that counts at it, then with the king too. And now she knows what that mana power is and what wonderland rips from foreigner. **

**Was the little fluff with Sydney alright? or should I add or remove that kind of thing from the story?**

**.**

**OoO Now what ? **

**The king discovered that she has the potential for loving in her own way and she already discovered What is that energy, What Lorina did (who would have tough that she was a manipulative **** that used the fact that everyone loved her to achieve her goals ?), why Alice wont die from her sickness and that she may be just as frozen in time, and the reason Lorina didn´t brough both her sisters is because Edith wasn´t born yet at the time.**

**Was that understandable or does another character needs to explain it in a more understandable way?**

**In any case, if you have doubts just ask.**

**...**

**OH! IF ANYONE HAS AN IDEA FOR A FLUFF MOMENT WITH THE POPSICLE KING PLEASE TELL ME!**


	14. Chapter 14

**.**

**It seems that what Aria discovered the past chapter was a bit confusing , but basically she discovered that :**

** -Lorina was a manipulative *** that gave up her life chance to bring Alice to Wonderland because she had the same mortal disease that mother and older sister had.**

** -Wonderland can bring and keep a foreigner to the moment when they were most happy (that´s why Alice is like 16 in Wonderland) … Please bear with it. A little further in the story there will be an explanation about the time difference with her world (remember that no one in wonderland knew tango or most of her stuff? )**

** -There is a key that can open or close any door or way in Wonderland (if you remember the original book or almost any movie adaptation there is supposed to be a golden key in the beginning)**

** -The life possibilities of a foreigner are what powers this world. Like … if you have to choose between vanilla and strawberry for ice cream, no matter what you choose, there is other choice available that you didn't take and end up in a what if? . And every little thing can create many choices (what if instead of the ice cream you end up just buying a drink? Then what drink would you buy?... etc) . All the choices not taken but that had the power of existing.**

** -Alice is in a state of quantum inmortality, that means that the choice where she is alive is he possible one for her in wonderland . Like if you do something really stupid like drinking poison you have like 99% chances of dying , but there is still 1% chance of surviving, so you get that lucky 1% and Wonderland eats the other 99%, a win-win situation so that you can continue doing stupid things that will generate more percentages for Wonderland to eat. And people from Wonderland can only get so few chances and not really generate new, unless a foreigner is around to generate those possibilities for them VG if the rules makes 2 roleholders fight but a foreigner stops the fight then they get a chance to perhaps go with the foreigner to do something else and a bunch of new possibilities are created, like going to the amusement park, going to get a sandwich, etc (thats also why her vial filled faster than Alice´s, because she created many chances with everyone and continuously)**

** -The vial converts energy to mass, it synthesizes those possibilities into something tangible (a liquid is actually the best for that)**

** -Aria feared but suspected that just like Alice she might have come into some part prior of her life.**

** Aria is also almost at the point of mental breakdown, she made a mathematical pun that meant "I just blew my mind", go ahead and Google in images for "divided by zero"**

* * *

.

**CHAPTER 14**

**.**

Bunsen managed to reach the place where the frozen prey he wanted was. Now he needed to find a way to get it out of the ice and to his human. He got close to sniff and scratch the ice. He circled it, jumped over and went around.

.

-_Meow!_ _Grrr…. _

_._

The ice was stubborn and he was frustrated.

.

_-ROAR_!

.

Bunsen scared himself with the powerful sound but when he calmed down he felt that inside the ice something about the bird was responding, like a warm breeze inside the ice. He felt such in his tiny clock. So curious as he was he decided to try again as if it was a game.

Various times he tried until he was almost bored, but then far away he felt a shiver spread from the marks on his leg and ear, he felt as if his human was in distress and that distressed him. He didn´t like distress, so his purpose for coming here was renewed with conviction and this time he charged with all his strength at the ice and with all his intent he roared at it. To his surprise the ice gave up to his might and it shattered down.

_._

_._

* * *

_._

.

Aria was on a high alert state. All her sensors were active and she advanced with utter caution as if this was a possible battlefield.

The place was just as her dream had been and the only sound was the faint crushing sound of the snow under her feet. This time things were real and she wasn´t sure if she was ready for the truth. She had passed through and discovered too much too fast; she seriously was anxious and somewhat adamant to the point that it could considered as being almost afraid.

Joker had shown her that he taunted Alice with her forgotten past and guilt. And if she was in a situation like Alice´s then…

Then what if she was or had been unable to fulfill her mission? The reason she had for remaining alive. The reason why she had gone all the way to this point. If it was futile then her life and existence was too. She tried to put the thoughts aside and decided that "al mal tiempo darle prisa" , she better get done with it.

She reached the shore and saw one of the big shards nearby. She got close an saw her reflection; it was normal and that was even more unnerving. But she knew that what she needed to see was not only for her. The place was supposed to be something like the prison, right? Wasn´t the earrings camouflaging her with a bit of Joker´s essence? Maybe this place was supposed to be part of this country´s Joker´s territory and maybe that was why the place had reacted to her earrings, and that meant that it was something related to Joker, maybe a past one, the one the one from Diamond of her best friend(s).

Thinking about it… The earring had given her a connection with Joker. Maybe that had been why she has followed with his little plan at the concert. It was possible; She had said so : "Doors can be crossed both ways".

But there were more pressing things at the moment.

Aria took a deep breath and did her trick of channelizing energy to her devices. She felt as if some mist were crawling over her skin despite her suit, and she looked into the shard. She felt an amazing pull before everything blurred.

_._

_._

* * *

_._

_._

Ace was as lost as always and was somewhere in the middle of the woods, he was wearing his cloak and mask just in case he was at one of the points where Alice had been there because he didn´t want to be seen by himself, neither the young or the adult; somehow he was currently having trouble and fun fighting a brown haired old man that had red eyes and that reminded him of someone but couldn´t quite place who. The man was using black clothes and looked to be past his forties, some grey hairs were already on his head and on his beard. For a roleholder, that meant that he was reaching the end of his days and would probably be killed soon; the wounds the man had attested that he had been attacked constantly and hadn´t been able to finish the fights unharmed anymore .

That probably was why the man had attacked him head on even though he had a wound, well it was not as if that was strange in Wonderland.

If the man provided him with a little fun and /or useful information he would spare him from the disgrace of getting killed by faceless by executing the man himself.

.

_-I haven´t seen you before. You must be a new holder_ _– _The man asked after a blow from his sword that almost cut Ace´s arm off- _Who are you?_

_-Not exactly new. But it´s nice to meet you sir! You fight well despite your age **:D**_

_-Don´t take me lightly son. Don´t you know who you´re facing? – _The man said with a grin. He was giving Ace a run for his money.

_-Nope, are you a knight? –_ The man was VERY good with a sword, so he probably was a prior knight from Diamond.

_-A knight!? HA!, I killed both of them already boy. One of them recently. – _The man stated with pride -_Are you one their replacements?_

_-So you aren´t a knight, sir? On the mafia´s then?- _Ace was having fun, even more fun than dueling the lizard. – _Hey Mr. don´t you know a way to travel in time by chance?_

_-Time is meaningless in this world_. _If you wanted to go somewhere you should have gone to the Dodo´s mirror. Too bad that you wont get out of here alive. – _The man said and kicked Ace aside gaining distance after a fake move with the hilt of his sword– _I´m the executioner of Wonderland, son_. _ You chose the wrong person to mess with._

_._

The past executioner! That explained his skill. Ace smirked as the man looked proudly over him with an equal smirk. Both knew that this would be a great battle were both of them would fight with everything they had and only one would survive.

Ace couldn´t get himself killed now, his trio awaited him. His dame was in distress and Aria was in need too. **XD**

On his part, the man couldn´t let himself be killed, there was someone alive that he loved and that needed him. But he knew that he was old for a roleholder already and would not receive quarrel until he was killed. The only way to avoid dead was to kill all those who would try to kill him.

_._

_-This will be fun, right sir?_

_-I shall be, son._

_._

Wonderland choose the moment to change the time to evening and after a few seconds and as soon as the sky finished turning a reddish orange shade both men launched themselves forward to clash their swords with their opponent.

The battle was fierce; this old tiger still had edge on his fangs and Ace was actually learning a move or two from him, he especially liked the dash that had thrown him to the ground and almost got him cut in half. After a little while both were hurt and had multiple cuts over their bloodstained bodies.

But time was merciless on age and the man was tired, if he had lasted so long was due to technique and spirit but such were not enough and soon the old tiger was brought down to the ground by Ace who had his sword ready to end it.

.

-_You´re going to take my role, right son? –_ Ace could almost swear that his words were a plea.

-_Yes sir_ – And he would. He was in the past, so at some point his younger self would see Julius being killed and would go on a quest for strength and revenge that would get him to take on the role of executioner - _It was a good fight, thank you **^_^**_

-_Ha, ha, indeed it was fun **^_^ ** -_The man said with a goofy smile despite knowing he was unable to get up anymore-_ Better to end like this. At least my runt will be spared of my dreadful role, I had hoped he´d be. Go on son, end it. _

_-Any last words sir?- _Ace could be knightly as that, he HAD to. It was not as if the man could do anything, he was already bleeding to dead.

-_Just an Advise son_. _You´re taking on a_ _hard role, if you don´t know where you want to get then it wont matter which road you take. If you can´t find your way then get yourself someone to get to. Don´t get lost. Much less lose yourself or that someone else._

-_Goodbye, sir- _And Ace´s sword did the work swiftly and with dignity.

.

The sound of footsteps over the dry leaves that had been nearing stopped close by.

_._

_-Dad! I caught a fish! …Da… Dad…?_

_._

The little boy was probably between 7 and 10 years old, he had messy brown hair and red eyes and was looking the scene wide fearful and teary eyes. Ace turned around to see a small kid holding a fish in a stick looking at him while the body of the past executioner remained for half a minute more before vanishing, leaving behind only a clock and a glowing orb of the executioners role. Ace recognized the boy immediately. There was no doubt about who the kid was, he knew it. It was his younger self.

_._

_._

* * *

_._

.

_-Meow? (**Hey birdy?**)_

_._

Jericho Bermuda was lying in the cold floor. He tough he heard something. He wasn´t sure what had happened.

_._

_-Yeow! (**Wake up!**)_

.

A little weight over his chest made him try to open his eyes.

.

-_Nya… NYA_! (**_You're alive, so move!_**), _brr….., meow, meow, nya (**C´mon… you´re my prey –**_**It whined- _ Im taking you as present_**_)_

.

It was blurry and he was surely hallucinating, over his chest he though he saw a lion but there was a kitten jumping over him and he could had imagined that behind his meowing he had heard words.

_._

_._

* * *

_._

.

Biggs and Wedge were amazed, they had successfully cleared out the place with only minor injuries. They had the surprise element and they had used it with some other distraction techniques their boss had tough them. But when it came down to fighting and kill they found out they had become very strong. A lot more than they had thought or than a faceless could imagine to be without becoming a roleholder.

They spent quite a while reckoning the place to ensure that they had cleaned it up until they were absolutely sure they had.

The carnage had been exiting, but there was no more time to waste and they wanted to reach their boss ASAP and personally thank her or save her if needed. They were now confident about being strong enough to be of help and they had a bad feeling that something bad might be about to happen to her.

_._

_._

* * *

_._

.

Grey was looking at the train wagon he had managed to get. It was really old but it was the best he´d get, it had been amazing that they had even got this.

He was at some hangar like place outside a small town that had escaped most of the conflict in clover, where the lullaby had told him it would be. They had even managed to get a couple dozens of meters of tracks and had set it up ready. How they had managed to do it was a mystery, but it was also a mystery why they seemed to be so concerned about the foreigner and he wondered if (or how much) Aria had done to help them grow.

.

-_There is still much we don´t know regarding her doings. –_Nightmare- _It was foolish to assume that she was working or involved only with roleholders._

-_Now what do we do?_ _Can you really make this old thing work?_ – Grey was a bit dubious, but he was also concerned for Nightmare´s health. It had been a long time since he had been the train station master.

-_I will manage somehow. Diamond is stirring and there is someone at the train station managing things. I feel it.- _Nightmare said- _ I just hope it´s her._

_-Then that´s the place where I´ll start._

_-Nope. That´s the place where WE will start._

_-What!?_

_-I´m going too. _

_-But… !?_

_-This is a real emergency. On many levels.-_Nightmare changed his tone to something more relaxed

_._

_._

* * *

_._

.

Aria had seen it.

But she had seen already too much in and about this world. Was she supposed to be surprised? Should she be … sad? Was she supposed to feel anything? WHAT!? No emotional connection. For her it was like reading a book, playing a videogame or watching a movie. But none the less she was affected.

Why would anyone would want that anyways!? And yet… she did felt something. And she didn´t know if it was the earrings influence or her own limited but existing capacities.

She didn´t know if she wanted an answer to that either. _There had also been some disturbing images inserted between the main story she saw. Images of her that she didn´t recall and that were disturbing._

.

**FLASKBACK**

**.**

An enormous mass of shadows and darkness had chased them through the deserted corridor.

.

-_I´ll slow it down, you take him away!- _One of the two women turned around and transformed a whip into a big Blunderbuss gun and proceeded to discharge the weapon on what was pursuing them managing to halt its advance momentarily.

_-But you can´t stay here!_ –The young man didn´t have time to do anything. The woman took off her earring and put it into his hand without losing aim. Then the other woman just nodded and didn't have any problems to drag him away by force.

_-But she… YOU can´t! – _The young man clearly didn´t want to leave behind the look alike of the woman that was dragging him and pushing him through a mirror.

.

Once at the other side of the mirror they found themselves in a small field were a lake was be nearby. The woman used a small golden key in the plasma like substance that seemed to compose the mirrors surface of a crystal shard and turned it like one would with a normal key on a door´s keyhole.

.

-_Are you well? –_ He held the woman by the shoulders with strength and clear worry and fear.

-_No. Not even I can survive the Jabberwocky…–_She seemed very out of it.

-_If I hadn't lost the vorpal blade against the __Bandersnatch. Isn´t there any other weapon_ that can be of use!?

_-Nay. The winxy pistol was lost on the unicorn…We got away in Diamond…_ But e_ven if I locked the way_ …_ now Spades has fallen._

_-The Jabberwocky? That thing devoured everyone! What was it looking for!? It seemed to have been searching for..! _

_-DON'T DESPAIR! … It feeds of it – _She pleaded – _You´d only give it more strength_

_-What!?_

_-Think of it. If a foreigners love and happiness gives life to this world, what do you think a foreigners hate and despair creates?_

_-That thing… feeds of outsider´s bad feelings…!? – __He asked with shock_

_-__That thing IS and holds the foreigners bad feelings. It was supposed to gather such emotions, but it´s been doing so for a long time and has been gaining power with each foreigner that comes to this world since before there were holders of roles. _

_-It… it was looking for me isn´t it?- __He looked at hear with regret and guilt._

.

She turned her head to the side avoiding his gaze before nodding.

.

_-Aye, it was. Although I´m not sure why. I don´t know how it got free from its prison either. But as long as a foreigner feels it will pursue such beating heart._

_-Then why didn´t you let it get me!? You should have killed me! Now you… your other you… everyone… -_He was angry and remorseful and it was reflected in his defeated expression and the tears that were flowing freely from his eyes.

_-Why are you crying foreigner? We are replaceable. Now you´re out of its reach, so it should disappear and lay dormant … even if Spades won't be in reach anymore and it´s been condemned to disappear slowly, people there will still exist for a while…_

_-YOU´RE NOT REPLECEABLE!...- _He said and hugged her tightly – _You´re not!…this is all my fault…_

_-It´s not- _She hugged him back.

-_But Spades…. Everyone… You… - _He released the hug and looked at the earring he had been given from the one that stayed behind. It looked like a frowning mask

.

She took off her own earring with a smiling mask and put it into his hand with the other and closed his first over the jewelry pieces and then held his hand into hers.

.

_-Wonderland will find a way._

_._

He looked at her dubious of her words.

_._

_-Would… would you have married me if I had asked?- _Despite his blush and the tear strains he had a serious look.

.

She let go of his hand in surprise but he reacted and held her again. Then her single red eye narrowed at him.

.

-_Don´t you dare pity me!_

_-I don´t! I…. I love you! I love both of you! And I wish I had said it sooner… I would have liked…_

_-Shut up foreigner –_She shut him up herself with a kiss.

.

When they separated again she asked him if he would accept her connector, which he of course did. However she knew that she wouldn´t last long for her role required two and one was already gone, so she considered the best she could still do.

.

_-Will you leave if I go? Would you sacrifice your chances to flee?_

_-The only place I would flee would be by your side –_He said and gave her his vial

-_Then Let me do this for you - _She said with teary her eyes that disclosed the lies of her smile.- _Another holder for my role will come and I be selfish as such for I_ _myself shall be the only one in right to tease and jest with tee. I want you free from at least the ill interventions of my role._

_-What? But you are still here._

_-I know not for how long and I´d rather make use of myself while I still hold the power to do so._

_._

She kissed him again and put the earrings on him with care with the help of a chain around his neck. Then without more ado than a goodbye, she dried out the foreigners chances of ever going back to his world as she dissolved her being into the connector she had possessed and that would go on with its new purpose of the jewelry pieces, giving them an adavantage for the foreigner that would dare to wield such memento.

.

**_END FLASHBACK_**

**_._**

It could have been the end of the story had it not been because of its epilogue.

.

-_Madness is more than a mental state… here it has repercussions. The Madness of wonderland is dangerous for foreigners, but the madness from my world is far more dangerous to wonderland._

_._

_Aria had seen it too._

_Dreams of conquest and revenge have filled the foreigners mind, and wonderland had defend itself by forcing a desire of raging destruction called "madness" on the foreigner, making his mind so violent and gone that roleholders had to put such foreigner down for they had the strength to do so before it damaged this world more and it had not been the first time that it had happened._

_._

_-There are reasons why killing the foreigner is not prohibit despite their importance, there are instances when it is actually needed._

_._

_She knew it. The ambition and desire for riches and dominance, the hate and fear of the different and the sickening desire to be in control or erase what couldn´t be controlled. That had been a constant in the history of her world. _

_Maybe it was an act of kindness this world had to its children to let them think that it was the violence of this world that broke the will of the maddened foreigners and not the ill mind of the world of the foreigners and it´s despairing children._

_._

_._

* * *

_._

.

The young Ace had run away after looking such terrible scene.

His older version comprehended all the implications of the truth and let his sword drop to the floor and he followed it falling to his knees, soon a fear tears started falling from his eyes without his control.

.

_-So it´s always been useless…_

.

It was stupid! All his struggling was futile! In the end he had never escaped his fate. He had tough that he had at least chosen his role as the executioner but it had never been the case, even before he was born, it had already been decided! It was the knight of hearts the one he had chosen.

It was rare that role holders formed families. It was even rarer for people to actually be born with eyes. He couldn´t remember his childhood. All he knew was that he had wandered alone for a while before Julius found him and took care of him.

.

_-That´s just so pathetic, right? **:)**_

.

His strained smile was still there, but it soon faltered for the first time in many years. His eyes looked down to the clock in the soil.

There was only one way to be free, wasn´t it? He just had to kill his younger self.

_._

_._

* * *

_._

.

**Chap 12 of carrot cake (the one I helped cowriting) might take a little more to come out, so wait for it :)**

.

* * *

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**Ups, she is interested in the Jabberwocky. Does she realizes the danger? probably not** , **she´s most likely on edge too much from all that´s happened and that she´s seen (and felt recently) that her "lets research" is the only magic pill she can rely on. She thinks that everyone is out there to get her, wants to use her or wants to be used by her. Without the grasp of empathy there´s no way for her to even think otherwise until otherwise is proven.**

**When I learned of Ace´s story in Diamond games I was very surprised *O*" but it explained why Ace was so messed up. **

**If Peter is the foreigner´s precious memories I guess Ace could be their struggles or something; in the one of the manga´s Ace tells Julius something like "**_**sometimes is good to be the fool that fights/struggles back**_**", so he could represent Alice´s lost state and Arias sensation that "world is crap but it´s worth fighting for" , she still tries **** but now poor Ace is probably more lost than ever. **

**.**

**And even more questions had been answered, but there are still questions she has and needs to find a way to ask or learn. And what could happen if what she discovers is as bad and mentally destroying as what Ace saw?**

**.**

**I really liked how this chap came on thanks to Ace. **

**And if someone has an idea for fluff moments with the King, Armaliteo Sydney please tell me. I also need an idea for a significant conversation between the popsicle king and the prime minister.**


	15. Chapter 15

.

**CHAPTER 15**

**.**

Sydney was outside the portal painting. He was confused and even if he would deny it to everyone he was also a bit worried. Maybe he hadn´t know her for long (although physically he had "felt" her so much that it could be said that they were intimate with each other already), but in so little time she had given him much to think about and be confused about.

.

-_What a difficult Woman!- _She had given him a roller coaster of emotions and situations that had happened so fast that it made him dizzy, confused and even insecure. – (**_How did White_ _deal with her?_**_)_

.

He reprimanded himself for considering how the other prime minister could have managed her ways for he could surely do so better, and definitely, if chance arrived he could prove that he was far better at his duties prime minister that the white rabbit could be to gain the respect of someone that actually knew how hard such duties were.

But the problem was that such "if chance arrives" might never come. Diamond´s state left nothing to be managed and his own situation presented a strange and dark future for himself and made him feel insecure of what his stand was. Was he a toy? An slave? A pet? An ally? or an enemy maybe?

She treated him with slight deference and mild politeness, yet she hadn't any qualms to order him if she deemed so. She said she didn´t trust him but she had laid in his room, in his own bed, in a wounded state after saying she didn´t trust him.

She was a mental case no doubt and he wondered if such distant politeness had been extended to other roleholders (more specifically certain white rabbit).

But it couldn´t be blamed on her entirely. He had seen the state she was in, and judging by it, she had been struggling for a while so her distrust was no surprise; in fact it was completely justified. Had she been accidentally hit by a bullet then she would not have such amount of cuts and hits, those told that she had been fighting directly for her life; and for what she´d said she had done so without any help or support.

She was rough to have survived. Alas things had been rough for her too and she wielded the scars and injuries as proof of that. Her little trick of the blood or her "mana" didn´t work on herself (but damn it WAS a good trick) and as a foreigner she didn´t heal fast.

Sydney didn´t understand those abilities that had save his own life and that made possible for a mere faceless child to do some roleholder´s tricks like changing age. It was almost magic and it seemed to be an ability of hers alone, if it were a foreigner´s ability then why no other foreigner ever had been able to do so?

She was interested in him as a talking bunny (he didn´t want to think of the other instances or possibilities) and his own need and curiosity had been dragged to her since the echo of whatever she had done regarding that mana energy had reached his clock.

Lady A, Shatterdome, RapaNui… whatever her real name was, was a mystery. Despite her uncaring attitude and feeling-less lack of remorse, her actions spoke of some primal paranoid fear and need of comfort too.

She did remind him of Lady Crysta. And once he saw how that place was a frozen and barren he understood that her heart was in the same state, and to his own surprise that had saddened him. A beating heart was not supposed to be as cold or even colder than the metal of a clock.

.

_-She´s taking too long… (**And I´m getting nervous**)_

.

After some deliverance with himself he decided to go and get her back, at least he was already good enough to walk on his own. It was because he still needed her to get the dodo and whatever else was needed, not because he was intrigued and a bit worried and it wasn´t as if he was going to help her little runt. She needed to be back and do so herself.

_._

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* * *

_._

.

Ace couldn´t remember much of his childhood. He knew that he´d been wandering in the woods for a while before Julius found him and took care of him. He couldn´t remember the old executioner or anything else before Julius and now he knew why.

He had tracked his younger self with the full intention of killing himself and spare himself of the pointless disheartening struggle of being forced to have a role he couldn´t fight back.

From a distance he heard a little ruckus.

.

_-What!?_

_-Waaa!_

_-Wait, don´t cry!_

.

From the shadows of the top of a tree, Ace hid himself to look at the scene. He had catch up to his younger self and it seemed that his younger self had stumbled upon a young Julius.

The blue haired teen, not much than a few years older than the crying kid, had his hair short up to his shoulders in a thin ponytail and was having a slight panic attack at the moment because of a crying kid latched to his legs.

From his position Ace smiled at the funny scene, Julius had never been good with people, much less when they cried and didn´t knew what to do.

.

_-Hey… it´s alright, you can stop crying…_ - Julius seemed incredibly uncomfortable. But when he saw that the kid had eyes he was probably more surprised and double the uncomfortable he had been.- _Who are you?_

_-I´m Ace…_ (sniff)

_-Where are your parents? _

_-I… he… I don´t… waaaa!_

.

From the tree coverage the older Ace felt nauseous at the weakness of his younger self. It had been such weakness that had allowed Julius to be killed. But it had been that lost that made him strong to protect the other Julius. The clockmaker was a hard and lonely role too, and many people had attacked him, many times Ace had been there to prevent him from getting hurt. Either physically or from the loneliness; because Julius did need the company and fun from a fool like himself every once in a while.

.

_-Wait… how long did it take me to get here? –_Ace was suddenly aware that he hadn´t gotten so lost looking for his younger self, it probably took him only like five time changes. And he remembered that when he was young he had never gotten lost before that version of Julius had been killed.

_._

_"…You´re taking on a_ _hard role, if you don´t know where you want to get then it wont matter which road you take. If you can´t find your way then get yourself someone to get to… "_

_._

Why was he here in the first place?

Because Julius did want her back (he did too, but Julius was priority and if he wanted her he was fine with it, especially if it would eventually led to his trio; he appreciated her too) .

But why did he wanted her back? Sure, Julius was the first answer but…

.

_-"If you know where you need to get in the end then you are not lost"_

.

Hasn´t she said something like that? Maybe she was the one lost and it need right now. If she died then Julius would get sad (to hell with this world), and he would not have a camping pal nor his chance to spar with her either. Sparring with a foreigner was a strange concept, but he was sure that she could actually manage it. He had grown confident in her it seemed but it wasn´t all, he wanted to listen to her heart again and maybe after sparring her heart would race; Blood had won Alice, so he would also not be able to hear a heart´s beat anymore if Aria wasn´t around and because she never got lost he would not be able to use her as a compass anymore.

_._

_"Don´t get lost. Much less lose yourself or that someone else."_

_._

-_That actually was a good advice. – _He looked down and just as he had done to block the memories of his younger self when Alice had visited Diamond, he blocked the memories of this even younger version of himself too- _Thanks old man. _

.

_-Ok, stop crying and tell me what happened? –_The young Julius asked a bit exasperated.

_-I… I don´t know… _

_-(sight) Fine. Come with me - _And the teen took the childs hand in his own and lead him out of the woods never noticing that someone had seen all.

.

.

Later on time had shifted to night and Ace was in the museum. He had gone there straight (as straight as any path Ace took could be) after managing to find a young Joker and give him the custody of the executioner´s role so that it could be claimed by his younger self when the time came for it (he had bet Joker that a person would actually come to claim that role and demand that other person would be made the clockmaster and Joker had taken the bet).

He had made his way as quietly as he could into the building (that meant he had slaughtered everyone in his way)

.

_-Now…. Where is that… ? – _He parried some bullets and turned to see a young Jericho Bermuda.

_-Oh! Hi Jericho! I was looking out for your mirror, I need to get a bunch of years in the future_ **:D**

_-Who are you? - _ The dodo asked with suspicion and ready to attack the intruder.

-_mmmhhhh… someone lost that is looking for someone lost! –Ace said after thinking about it a bit. – So… can you let me use that mirror of yours to get when I´m supposed to? Please __J_

.

Jericho considered his options. This masked man had killed his best guards without problem and had parried his bullets really close. He was definitely strong and he had little chances of defeating him. If the man wanted to just use the mirror why not let him? If he was lost as he had said then the man would end up trapped anyways.

.

_-Fine. You can use the mirror. _

_._

_._

* * *

_._

.

A confrontation had broken out in the train station between the ranks of the Diamond´s crew.

The lullaby had secluded themselves in the train platforms and where waiting for the fighters to kill each other or come fight them. In any case they were ready for anything… for anything except a train arriving to one of the platforms.

.

_-Prepare to shoot! – _Nora ordered –_ Alhambra prepare for the train! Balzac keep the lookout from the door! Everyone take cover!_

_-Those in the train! Get out with the hands where we can see them! – _Lily said from behind a pillar –_You´re surrounded so don´t try anything._

_._

From the train certain ex-assassin got out with calm while the incubus did her best to read the thoughts from the people that were closer by.

.

_-A roleholder! – _Alhambra didn´t waste time and shot. He was sure that the guy was there to get their precious boss and he wasn´t willing to let that happen if could. He was mimicked by some of his peers who held the same thoughts.

_._

Grey managed to dodge and was surprised by the skill of some of his attacker when he heard Nightmare´s scream.

.

_-WAIT GREY! THEY ARE ON ARIA´S SIDE!- _ Nightmare got close to the window and screamed to them_-LISTEN EVERYONE WE ARE HERE TO HELP HER!_

_-WHY WOULD WE BELIEVE YOU?! – Screamed back Lily._

.

Just then the door to the hall outside were broken and the fight reached the platforms site.

_._

_._

* * *

_._

.

Aria had been laying on the ice and snow when Sydney found her. She had seen the "memory" imprinted on the earrings and some interferences that she hadn´t been able to analyze; it had taken a lot from her to trigger and power up whatever this place did to replay the memento´s imprint, yet it hadn´t been enough to see her own… or was it?

Sydney had found her so drained that he had resourced to lick her face to try and made her react so that he could wake her away from that place (he end up avoiding the subject later on with cute embarrassment and fake anger).

She had been so weak that she could´t get up for a while, and when she finally could she dragged herself to Sydney´s room to rest as it was the closest place. Not sure of what else he could do (and feeling pathetic that he would be unable to do much in any case) he simply laid near her head to provide some warm and comfort. He didn´t even knew why he was doing so.

.

**Aria´s mind**

**…...**

* * *

.

She was in a white sterile room, a bright light above her head and the top of a syringe getting close to her retina.

.

-_Is this the new B.E.O.W?_

_-Yes! And it´s amazing! We´re going to try and add a few more improvements!. It was really lucky that we captured her._

_-Carry on._

_-Yes, sir!_

_._

_And the syringe went down into her eye without any sensation._

_…..._

* * *

_._

She was in a fluid chamber secretely conscious of what was happening around. She knew there were needles in her everywhere.

From her suspension in the ooze she saw someone leading a small group of people that stopped in front of her.

.

-_And this is the first T-EVE model. A bio-electro-organical weapon. She´s capable of machine interaction and control besides an extended combat effectiveness. Some of the improvements include resistance materials in her components like joints and cartilages, reinforced carbon structures in her bones, extended wireless connection and direct connection with an armored suit device that as you can she , she aint wearing now. - T_he person was not about to tell the group that most of everything they had found on her had already existed in the young woman before they captured her.

_-She looks human – _Someone commented

_-And that makes it better, she can infiltrate easily anywhere._

_-What about the suit you mentioned?_

_-It has her genetic firm imprinted so no one else can use it. Once this stage of the process is completed where suiting her again and testing shall start._

_-Can you replicate her?_

_-As I mentioned she is a prototype. But we found something amazing, we can't replicate her or her results due to the mithocondial "eve" condition of the RNA. Once we figure that out we´ll be able to create unrepeatable B.O.W´s., and even if we don´t we can tamper with it and genetic therapy to integrate more improvements! _

_._

_…..._

* * *

_._

She was in her suit once more and all connections had been reestablished. She had been given more power and she was REALLY angry. It was only natural that she would test all the new improvements and better yet, leave no traces or her or this place.

.

…...

* * *

.

She was running in a narrow corridor, a blinking red light and the strident alarm made it known that she had been detected as much as the blinking light from her monitoring told her she was not gonna remain alive much longer, she was already on a base 2 mode, a live or die, no middle term and no chance, but she knew that it would not last, as soon as she reached a terminal she took control of the system and deactivated the alarm giving the messages to the technicians that it had been a fuse blown off, nothing serious. From there she opened the way to the mainframe.

She was tired and hurt, she had lost a couple finger from ehr biological hand, a slashed eye, burns from the acid contact, a drilled lung, various broken bones, heavy internal damage, a dislocated arm, various heavy caliber hits, an almost mutilated leg and she was bleeding profusely.

Dead was inevitable and it wouldn´t be long now.

She made her way to the control room after taking command of all the security. Once there, she sealed the place and entered the main system, it took her a little to integrate by synchronization into the main directives, but as soon as she did she set up all the needed coordinates and made the launches all around though all the bases and all the launching sites, even the hidden ones and set up the total destruction and erasing of the systems. There were no countdowns, just the sudden terrible action that would set a turn in the wheel of time for humankind in her world.

Just a few seconds before the white light of a nuclear blast engulfed her completely, her last sensation was a breath of satisfaction, calmness and relief. It was done and she was happy that everything had finally ended and she allowed herself to drift into her dream like sleep.

.

_…..._

* * *

.

**End **

.

Sydney was panicking. He had woken up to the sensation of her shivering besides him. He saw the fast movement of her eyes from left to right while some strange light appeared over her eyeballs projecting something at a past so fast that it was impossible to see what it was.

Her body was all tense and her hands held onto the fabrics with strength. Over her arm, one of her devices blinked images as fast as her eyes except for a message that read "_Restoring files_".

He didn´t know what was happening but it seemed bad, he needed to wake her up!

The black bunny tried moving her, jumping above her stomach, pulling her hair and ears. Finally and having run out of options, in desperation he tried again licking her face and the moment he was doing it he felt himself change into his human form on top of her; it lasted a few seconds, time enough to slap her awake before returning to his smaller form.

.

-_What was that!?-_ She finally woke up breathing fast and with her face hurting from a hit.

_-You couldn´t wake up from a nightmare. _

_-And you hit me!? _

_-It seemed like a pretty bad nightmare._

_-It wasn´t a nightmare. I don´t dream… those were files._

_-Files?- _He was perplexed

_-But... I can´t remember? I can´t visualize them, what was all that…? – _Her head hurt, and perhaps it was better if she didn´t recall. If she had got rid of those files she must had a reason for that.

.

They didn´t noticed the message that red "_files encryption and locking: completed_"

.

.

She laid there with Sydney´s quiet but observing company for a little while before she went to the library to research a bit about the Jabberwocky and past foreigners. She needed to rest until she could go back to the lake and see what she wanted to see about her own status for she knew that she was in no condition to endure the mental overload she was having already. In comparison to the cognitive overflow, the physical pain was almost welcomed.

In the library, she found the king instructing the faceless boy with some dread on his face, no doubt he found the situation really odd, maybe even somewhat degrading to be reduced to a teacher for a faceless kid even if said faceless runt had learned the basics already.

.

She took a decision and gave Sydney and the king a time out and she took the kid off to speak to him in private. And instruct him herself a bit.

.

_-It´s not boring!_ - She said mortified- _History is about wars, battles and awesome stuff!, and you can even learn tricks from it! There is also science and if you want a rest you can read a bit of fantasy. - _She said with passion.

_-How can a book be fun? - H_e asked genuinely puzzled.

_._

She smiled knowingly and took out her tablet, pressed a few times and began reciting while performing dramatically many fluorides :

.

___It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Paradise, but we were all going direct the other way..._

_._

Soon, Armalite was completely captivated by the little pieces of different books she was reading to him and she helped him read small story books from the library with complete approval. For a little while, both sat together while Aria read her own books and supervised him, correcting, praising or scolding him when it was needed; it was the most peaceful moment Armalite had ever felt. She needed the distraction and he needed the attention and instruction.

After he managed to finish an entire book (a small fables one for kids) she decided gave him something important to hold onto in case she ever needed them somehwere else, her vial and the spades keychain, then she went about to teach him a couple different things; he had said that he could take care of himself but one could never be too careful, so she decided to impart some knowledge of a more deadly kind, more so once she learned that he had been an acrobat and not a knife thrower in training as she had though.

.

-_Take the knife and aim like this.- _She taught the now young teen about throwing knifes like the twins had taught her.

-_Yes lady Aria!_ – They were alone so he could use that name safely.

.

When she was satisfied with his performance with the knives she took out one of her charm bracelets to teach him about those guns and a bit of basic strategy with historical examples.

.

-_Remember to use the environment in your favor. You can try to lure your enemy's to fall in it or prepare tramps and leave them in their way. Try to win the fight before you enter it._

_-Yes my lady! Huh, what is this? – _He said enthusiastic about the lessons.

_-Oh, thats a missile launcher_ – She said proudly and continued the lesson.

.

They were taking a rest from the training.

.

_-mmmhhh…_

_-What is it? I already told you. If you want to ask something then ask_- She was a bit exasperated.

-_Lady Aria…do you really don´t hate me?_ - The kid averted his face.

_-What? Why are you asking this? _

_-Because I bumped myself into your life, and you said that you hate children, and I didn´t know how to read and…_

_-I don´t understand why you´re asking this.- _She really didn´t- _ Haven't we been already through the first issue? Im not changing my mind on that, so be at ease._

_-Ok… but you also hate children and I can´t grown up more…- _He said with insecurity, so far he had managed to reach a teen age but no more and he still changed age randomly.

_-But you can change age and that is interesting. I admit that I DO dislike children but I cannot care enough to actively hate them. I don´t care. You can say that to me children are proto-humans or something. But it makes you feel better I consider you a test subject and not a child (**AN: Is that better?**)__. Just get out of my way and my business, and take care of yourself becaus eI´m not taking care of you._  


_-Ok… but…_

_-No buts. And if you are going to mention that you didn´t know how to read or write then save saliva. You know how to now, and you just need to practice A LOT, ok? _

_-mmmhhhmmmhhh_ - He nodded with ease letting out a smile and hugged her.

_-And for _Newton´s sake! _Don´t cry. That really gets on my nerves! -_ To her surprise, she hugged him back.- _I´ve killed children to prevent hem from crying!_

_-Yes, lady A __, but what are we going to do about the ice barrier that…_

_-What ice barrier?_

_._

Suddenly a terrible roar was heard in around the castle of Diamond and though all of Wonderland across time and space by those with duties. Armalite and Aria went to the window to see what was happening just in time to witness the ice wall around the castle shattering into an explosion of ice.

_._

_-mmhh… Never mind about the ice barrier. – _The kid said while clutching to her tighter with fear.

_._

_._

* * *

_._

.

Against all odds, the council had gathered again, this time with a lot less people. Dee had dumped the clock tower and had reunited with everyone , also present where Gowland and the roleholder´s from the castle minus Ace. The other roleholders from Clover and Hearts were missing.

.

They were discussing again when "the door" opened and from a bright light Alice appeared. She looked a couple years older, Blood immediately ran to hold her and she break up in frantic crying in his arms. The rest present were sensible enough to leave them alone.

.

-Shhhh… It´s alright… -Blood could do little but to hold her tightly and let her cry till she calmed down. He could only imagine what she had passed through and he didn´t know if her current age was because she had seen reality or because she had passed through time. It didn´t matter to him, his beloved Alice was back; she was there with him and that was the only thing important.

.

When Alice´s sobs lessened she managed to gather herself together and started to tell him, but he put a finger to her lips and told her that it could wait till she felt better. He was about to kiss her when a terrible roaring sound was felt. One of the few things he could ever be VERY afraid off.

.

_-OH NO!_

_-What!?_

_._

Everyone barged back into the room as soon as the felt it. They knew it. The Jabberwock was free.

_._

_._

* * *

_._

_._

Joker had been waiting for what the other roleholders would do. He had already lost track of the dimwit of the knight, the lizard and the incubus. He had just felt Alice coming back and he had set to go back to the damn council when he felt it too.

.

_-CANT SHE KEEP HERSELF OUT OF TROUBLE FOR A ****** COUPLE TIME TURNS?!_

_._

Joker really wanted to bang his head against a wall. Of ALL the troubles she HAD caused, or all the troubles she COULD cause this was probably the worst possible.

_._

_._

* * *

_._

**This one came out fast, overal I think the Ace back story expansion came oout nice.**

**Review please.  
**


	16. Chapter 16

**There was a hint in this chapter for the story "Carrot Cake" from Sleeping Moon ;) , I help her a bit and she has complete permission to use whatever element she wants from here. So give it a try, its an OC x Elliot and its nice.  
**

.

* * *

.

**CHAPTER 16**

**.**

_._

.

_-You were right to warn me about this foreigner, prime minister_. _She is indeed quite not what one would expect of a foreigner._

_-She aint your majesty.- _Sydney was oh so aware of that.

_-What for do you suppose she is still in Wonderland?_

_-That I don´t know. But it seems to me that Wonderland is the one that wants her here. Even though she came accidentally to this world or to the country of Diamond by her own will._

_-Taking aside her doings in the other countries, why do you assert that prime minister?_

_-The fact that you and I are alive would be a good start, your majesty. _

_-It still baffles me how she did it. Maybe if she explained better what she knows we´d be able to do something._- The king was still uncertain what 3/4 of her words meant, but he was sure she had done what no one else had, she had deciphered this world, at least most of it.

_-I doubt it your majesty. Choosing is her privilege; and whatever power foreigner´s possess, she has learn to manipulate it at will. Thus there´s naught we can do.__She may not look the part but she is a foreigner none the less._

–_If not us, then I would welcome anyone with a chance of opening her heart._

_._

Sydney had been giving the king a tour around the castle, he needed to start moving on his own and the king needed to see how much the place had changed and what had transpired in his frozen absence. They too needed the time she had allowed to converse among themselves. She was indeed a bossy woman that knew how make herself be listen to and obeyed.

_._

_-She still presents a chance to save this place and ourselves. – _The king pondered aloud- _As she indeed said, when a foreigner´s love blooms it makes this world thrive. Although neither she nor you were supposed to learn that. _

_-I never expected a foreigners importance to be so great.- _The bunny huffed a bit. The king had known it and Sydney wasnt happy that such important knowledge had been kept hidden, but at the same time maybe it was a knowledge related to a role´s duty.

_-Nor did I expect that so much knowledge would be found out by a foreigner or that she would share it. I would have expected anyone in her position to be scared of all what that knowledge entrails.  
_

_._

**FLASHBACK  
**

**.**

She had found the wine stack of the kitchens and put on two bottles on the table. She opened the bottles and put one in front of the king and then went bottoms with hers to the kings astonishment. He had never seen a woman drink like that.

.

-_Damn it! I don't feel even slightly drunk!- _She was way too resistant to any chemical in her system- _I need more!_

_._

She went to get two more bottles for herself and went halfways for the second one. When she was going to give it another go, the king took a hold of the bottle but she didn't let go.

.

-_Give me that Icecube!– _She gave him a new nickname and tried to pull back the bottle the man was holding but the king hold tighter on it.-_ I need it!_

_-You don´t! Why would you need it!? –_As he was still weak, he used his weight to prevent her from taking the bottle from him.

_-Try being able not only understand but comprehend the whole nature of a world and its mechanics and everything in it and see if you don´t need a drink afterwards_! – She got closer while looking him straigh in the eyes with a glint of desperation.

-_Alcohol is not the answer!- _He said with disapproval at such behavior.

_-But it makes you forget the question!-_ Now both had their faces mere centimeters away from each other.

_-And do you really want to forget? - _He was keeping his own gaze steady on hers._  
_

_._

Her eyes widened and then her gaze turned a bit sad and she turned her head losing eye contact. She relaxed her grip on the bottle and rested her forehead over his, once again surprising him.

.

_-Of course not Icecube. Ignorance is not a bliss but a death sentence. – _She smiled unsurely; it looked as she wanted to cry instead. After a long and deep sight without separating her forehead from his she finally released the bottle and his hands, and sat back in her chair.

_-Icecube? - _He inquired about how she was referring to him_  
_

_-Would you prefer Popsicle?_

_._

He didn´t know if that was a joke or not, but he allowed himself a drink from the bottle in his hand; not to forget but to remember this moment. This was the first time someone refereed to him by something different than his role; He didn´t remember if he ever had a name different than his title.

_._

**END FLASHBACK**

_._

Both roleholders pondered about the impressive grasp she had on knowledge about his world and how she had apparently discovered it all by herself. It was incredible, but more incredible was that it was but the tip of what they suspected she knew, or the abilities she had.

Sidney shared what she had told him about her jobs for the territories in Heart and Clover. Either she was a very big liar or a very capable person, they half joked about hiring her as chancellor, and both discussed how it was possible (and even insulting) for those with duties that she was in such a sorry state and under such lack of care.

_._

_-It´s also unexpected that love have not bloom for the long time she has already been here.- _The king had been thinking on that.

_-She has mentioned her inability to love. – _Sydney explained_. _She had told the king and himself that it was biological impossible for her to love.

_-But such comes only to a certain degree that she seems unaware of._

_-Please explain why would you say that, your majesty. I doubt the game is affecting you or me regarding her at the moment when there is not __even __enough life in this side of the mirror to change the day time. –_Sydney felt weird that the game had been exerted, yet the king was showing interest in it (and maybe he too; mere curiosity, he assured himself. Or perhaps it was the link that bound him now to her).

_-For what she has said and shown, she indeed can love but only so in her own way and terms. And more importantly, Wonderland validates such oddity. I inquired and it seems that she does possess emotions but they are so fleeting that one could barely detect them.- _Then he considered something else – _Maybe her mere presence is powering a mini game for you and me to follow._

_-Her ways possess no attachments at all. –_ The bunny doubted the kings words. He had been bound to her will and he didn´t feel unnaturally attracted to her, it was his own situation that got him curious, for it was his only chance of survival_- So free and so vain… she won't stay._

_-But so rational and so plain. Her love would be sincere and not be blind. Infatuation would have no place in her heart or eyes. - _Unknown to Sydney, the king was also bind to her but by honor. Just as the knight had to be knightly, the king had to be regal. She had saved his life and honor commanded him on that debt.

_-And it be dangerous too for beings capable of always love someone that could leave them without qualms._

_._

They also knew it. A foreigner was to be loved unconditionally.

.

_-That would make her fleeting affections the more precious, don't you think? – _The king smiled at such impossibility. He still remembered Lorina, her affections were longing and he knew they had been fake, but from Aria they seem to be too fleeting but true. - _There might still be some time left_, s_he needs to stay at least until she heals._

_-A woman like that does not seek affections_ –At least not consciously, though Sydney remembering her sleeping embrace.

-_But that does not mean she does not requires them. _

.

Sydney was about to answer when the ground shacked with a terrible roar that made them stop their pace in fear.

.

_-It cannot be_! – Yet the king knew it was.

.

The sound came from outside. From a window they saw the ice barrier surrounding the castle being progressively destroyed. They saw the black shadow and confirmed that the Jabberwocky was free and all hope was lost. Nothing from wonderland except a legendary weapon that had been lost could wound that creature and it would seek to devour whatever power their roles still had, and it would do anything to get a foreigner.

Maybe the fact that they were so weak was a good thing, it had not detected them yet and it was feeding on whatever power Crysta had left to maintain the ice barrier around the castle but it would not last long. There was a foreigner nearby and it would sense her sooner or later.

No one else but the king knew that the last time it had appeared, the roleholders of Diamond had managed to corner it by using a maddened foreigner as bait, and the queen had sacrificed herself and used all her power to freeze it.

It would destroy them and they couldn´t do anything. They could not defeat it, they could not kill it; they could not even truly hurt it. They could just trap it. But there was no way to do that.

The terrible end was inevitable.

_._

_._

* * *

_._

.

Grey had cleared out most of the Diamond´s attackers at the station and that had served to calm the lullaby and their true allies so that a dialog could be established.

.

_-You are here looking out for the second foreigner? _– Nora, their leader at the moment, was in front of Nightmare flanked by the rest of the partitura.

-_Yes, and it would be appreciated if you tells us what you know_ – Nightmare said with a hint of veiled treat and with the full knowledge that mentally these faceless had called Aria "boss" when he mentioned the second foreigner.

_-Why are you looking her for_?- All of them were clearly distrustful, but they weren´t afraid.

_-Are you questioning me, card? – _Nightmare said_. _Grey was ready at this side to attack.

_-Yes I am. – _And that bold statement threw off Grey and Nightmare -_. Last we knew she wasn´t in mood or condition to deal with roleholders. If she wanted to see any of you, she would have done so. It´s her choice and you have no saying in it._

.

Nightmare didn´t took well that, and mentally attacked the faceless woman. Instead of succumbing, she raised her hand to prevent the rest from starting a shooting and maintained her ground. Nightmare saw fragments of Aria training these faceless and he knew that it would be impossible to subjugate them. Aria had given them dignity and respect. She had graced them with the equity they had never known and had placed on them certain importance to her plans. She had treated them as if they were important. They were loyal to her and that was an advantage and a treat at the same time.

.

-_That is not your business. But know that she is needed back. Or else no clock would ever be repaired again.- _Grey said. They would probably need them alive, even if it was only because she had a connection with this faction.

_-So? – _The happy trigger man called Alhambra said with cynicism ready to start another fight.

_-If that does not convince you then have in mind that she is hurt and her heart stopped a couple times. For now she is alive but is not fine_. – Nightmare reluctantly told them. They had to convince them that they were here to help the foreigner.

_._

The woman named Nora told them the state of the country and a bit of what had happened, including the other faction wanting to freeze the foreigner so that Diamond could rip her life.

From the foes captured alive Nightmare determined that it was indeed their true plan.

They were debating how to get out from the territory when a terrible roar struck their clocks and broke down the mist that had engulfed the place.

.

_-What was that!?- _Balzac was of the first ones to recover.

_-Oh no… it´s not possible!_ _The jabberwocky_…– Nightmare paled more than usual and fear was evident in his face. – _We need to find her! And fast!_

_._

Grey didn´t lost time and ran outside.

_._

_._

* * *

_._

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Biggs and Wedge had gone back to the museum to put the last shard on the mirror. When they did so, the surface glowed silvery and it became an even surface as if it had never been broken. They had learned that it was supposed to take you to where you desired.

Before heading anywhere they did their best to re-stock themselves; when the terrible roar shocked their clocks they ran to the mirror. Both of them had very clear idea of where they wanted to be, or rather who they needed to reach.

_._

_._

* * *

_._

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Pierce had been so scared from the world shaking roar that he had clung to Boris (_**AN: Imagine the Scooby doo when he jumps over Shaggy**_) just before the cat had been about to open a door as he said that he had felt "invited" to Diamond, meaning that there was still some roleholder of importance there calling. He had heard something like "_I would welcome…" and a_pparently Wonderland had accepted that as granting permission to get there, allowing Boris to connect a door to such holder.

Boris didn´t waste time and he and Pierce crossed a door to go and tell the others but no one was there anymore, so Boris tried connecting a door directly to the supposedly lost country but it was too much effort. Despite having permission, connecting a door to a place that had no magic of its own was hard; Whatever was happening in Diamond there was nothing much to connect to .

It was Pierce whom resolved the issue. He used the "drink me" potion to miniaturize them so that Boris could use his power into one of the mouse´s passage doors to go to Diamond with Pierce, whom despite his fear went ahead too.

_._

_._

* * *

_._

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In the lullaby headquarters in Clover, the new Berceuse took a decision. It was time to execute a counter plan from their dear foreigner boss set up in case she went missing for more than X number of time changes.

Prepare for the worst, take every chance and never hope. Their boss had set things up for them to continue even if she or the top of the lullaby wasn't around and had ordered a series of (sometimes downright bizarre) orders for that moment and for other circumstances. For example, she had used her editorial business originally meant to fill out her personal library with all the books she had stored in digital format, for funding other books in this world like the series of pink novels "A foreign tale", a series of (sometimes erotic) romantic adventures with the foreigner and people from this world, mainly the roleholders but with faceless too. Little books with titles as cursi (corny) as "The rose garden" , that in truth have been a plot for propaganda and misinformation (earning too a nice profit).

The new head of the lullaby smiled at the memory of when the editorial business had been founded by their boss, she had been cracking madly at the name she had chosen for the editorial press.

.

_-What does "Zaratustra" means? Why that name?_ - Everyone was confused at THE personal joke that had her giggling for like 15 minutes.

_-Because ****__Thus Spoke Zaratustra, A Book for All and None_ - She answered mysteriously and went laughed madly in that paralyzing way of hers.

.

And thus "_Zaratustra editions_ " was born; providing the lullaby with new techniques and technologies explained in books from her world, and wonderland was provided with really awkward tittles and pink, romantic and/or erotic novels.

Assuming more foreigners would appear in the future at some point, she had also decided to have some fun at their expense by providing information she had found regarding this world and foreigners if the readers were smart enough to find those who truly wanted to understand would figure it out by following the clues on the books. Seek and you shall find; for that she had set the initial clues in the book "_Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?_" and had instructed for bits of knowledge from her research notes to be included in all the pink novels and some titles from her own world. Few people would openly read a pink novel in public or admit to reading those, and people in this world had no idea what an android was and the tittle sounded like a self-help thing when in reality it was one of the biggest sci-fi classics from her world; She had instructed for some copies of that book and pages of her notes to be put in the pink novels, and to be scattered and hidden in plain sight around the territories.

That was one of the gimmicks of their boss. They didn´t have idea of what big plan their boss had, and they had all face palmed when their boss told them that she actually didnt have a plan, she simply treated any little opportunity as if was a grant plot and everything came together in its usefulness later on by itself, "_worry for the present and the future shall take care of itself_" ,to always find a way to win and progress even in defeat; those had been her words and some of the milestones for the organization that fancied to occupy any power vacuum around and take any chance it could get. They took to clock to resemble their owner and be up to her ways and expectations.

.

Yes, that was a nice memory she and the rest of the organization had of their boss.

The lullaby was ready to follow her orders. Thanks to little tricks and management of their boss, the lullaby got quite rich and powerful. Controlling the production and supply chains, getting monopolies for "foreign" products and activities, providing new kinds of entertainment, etc. But their main business had remained "getting stuff", they could provide practically anything and that had also given them many contacts that created an underground social network.

It all had been thanks to her, they existed because of her.

She had managed to give them a reason for existing and she had done so without them breaking any rule. Had she not agreed to be their boss... When the old boss was killed they were about to lose their reason to be in this world, and not having a reason for existing was a huge transgression of the rules, they didnt want to die, but that would have been better than being taken out of existence in the prison to face the nothingness they were, or worse...

Had they not been near her... She had given them a place and a name in this world, they were no bogus crime syndicate or small black market business, they were a whole faction on their own in a way no other was, they expanded in the shadows of all the territories like movements from a symphony. They were someone and they were important to her, even if she was a lot more than important to them. Not only had she done all that for them, as a foreigner she had given them far more, even without the game they would have loved her.

Wonderland had even acknowledge their status as a faction when (without their boss knowing it) they had taken pledges after Biggs and Wedge had come back from getting those marks in their shoulders. They had taken out the blood samples their boss had been planning to experiment on, and had gotten that tattoo master called Rolf to help them on that oath no matter how faint and diluted the main ingredient was. Now all members had a quaver music note tattoo somewhere in their bodies, maybe it did not had the power of the ones their tops had, but it gave them the sense of belonging people from this world so badly needed and a connection to the foreigner.

In a way, it was as if they had won the game, they had gotten the foreigner and they would do anything to keep her.

Berceuse considered the internal wars going on on every territory. She and the upper layers of the lullaby knew much of what their true boss had discovered. This little revolution may had given them many chances to gain more power and wealth, but it was also starting to be too draining for wonderland and their businesses, it was time it got ended.

_._

_._

* * *

_._

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Joker had been waiting for things to progress, of all the methods the roleholders had found to reach diamond, the seal of the unicorn was his best take and he had been on the move as soon as he felt that Alice had succeeded and had come back. His slight joy ended very soon when the Jabberwocky got free. Worse yet, it was in Diamond and there was also a foreigner nearby. A hurt and weakened foreigner that was his best friend.

When they reached the place of the council, everyone were already gone save the queen that was waiting for them.

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_-You can´t go. You have no business with neither foreigner anymore.  
_

_-You´re going to try and stop me? – _One of him said. He was very aware that he was almost breaking the rules by going there without a reason justified by his role.

-_Try it yourself if so you wish. It won't let you cross. – _Vivaldi was playing her cards too.

_._

As the queen had said, they could not pass. Joker was angry and frustrated, but above all he was worried. With the Jabberwocky loose, a foreigner near it´s grasp and another one in the way, even the dreaded Joker considered this a dire crisis.

One of him hit the invisible barrier in the door with obvious rage while the other did best to mask his discomfort and tried to think of another way.

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_-We dread to think what you did to have found an opening for friendship in her heart, prior to all this uproar. The game goes on, but your role in this play is over. – _She said with an expression of distaste before leaving herself. She had said what she needed to say.

_._

Joker stopped to look at the queens disappearing form. He could very well have translated that to _"I don´t know what the hell you did but she considered you a friend. But the game goes on and you are not needed, get lost_" . And if there was someone that knew about hearts it was the queen of hearts.

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_-What the heck do we do now? _

_-We need to get there. If the Jabberwocky catches a foreigner…_

_-It wont!_

_-Now it has double the chance to do so. _

_-Damn it!- _He gritted his teeth and punched the invisible obstacle again.- _I can´t go unless we …_

_-Unless we have a direct reason for it… are you thinking what I´m thinking?_

_-You know I am. I am you after all. But …_

_-To actually do that…_

_-The hell with it! No one was gonna win anyways. At least no one needs to know._

_-Still I find myself hesitant. What if we start acting like those imbeciles?_

_-There wont be time for that. What if we don´t go and everything goes to hell?_

_-We´ll probably have to kill both foreigners._

_-Better dead than on the Jabberwocks grasp. _

_-I guess we have no choice._

_._

Both sides sighted, one in compliance and one in defeat.

.

_-I __**w**__i__**l**__l__** p**__a__**r**__t__**ic**__i__**p**__a__**t**__e__** i**__n__** t**__h__**e g**__a__**m**__e__**.**__ – _He declared.

_._

He tried once again and this time both of himself were allowed to cross.

_._

_._

* * *

_._

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Aria was moving through the smaller service corridors of the castle of Diamond away from windows and open spaces with though on scientific research and a maddened smile.

Armalite was following her as best as he could. She had a half plan formed already for a couple scenarios but was still hesitant as to what she wanted. Sure, she wanted to study this dragon thing; she also knew this was not the entire Jabberwock, just a small avatar of it, but still so deadly that it had almost destroyed the entire country of Diamond in the past.

She wanted it alive for studying it and she also knew that it would go after her, that was an actual advantage. She could lay down a trap for it and that was why she was heading to the patio with the lake´s mural. yes, she was projecting cases and probabilistic scenarios in her mind along some counter plans.

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_-Another lesson __Army! __Always think "what you have" and "what you want". Then ask yourself how to use one to get the other. –_ She told the scared kid while thinking of a certain golden key she had somewhere in her suit.

.

She was already in an upper corridor that had a view of the outer patio where she would set her plan in motion looking at the Big frozen lake mural and not really paying attention, when from another small mural a figure came out and she couldn´t avoid hitting someone with the physical constitution of a brick wall, making her fall to the ground.

.

_-Meow!_

_-Bunsen!? – _It was Armalite who spoke because Aria had a mass of lovable fur on her face meowing with relief.

_._

She took the kitten away from her face and kissed it before the kitten licked her nose back and jumped to her shoulders and rubbing over her in a very emotional reunion.

Then Aria remembered she had hit someone and she turned to see who it was and all thoughts drained from her mind in an instant after seeing who was there.

The foreigner took a step back from the man she remembered. It was impossible!

He was supposed to be dead. Andrick Jeloudov was death she was sure. So why was he here?

.

Another roar shock the place, this time it sounded satisfied. The Jabberwocky had detected the emotions of a foreigner near by.

.

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* * *

.

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**OoO oh boy. Things are getting complicated, ne?  
**

**She´s just got the shock of seeing the (possibly) only person she had ever cared (loved) from her world and that was supposed to be dead. Joker has officially enter the game, the lullaby has explain their real reason for being so fanatical and almost all the players are reaching the arena. **

**Was the fluff moment with king "Icecube" nice? (the nick name is courtesy of Animefreak1145)**

**For those of you reading the fic "Carrot cake" from ****Sleeping Moon **there was a big disclaimer in this chap. Im sure you identified it ;)


	17. Chapter 17

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**Did anybody caught the conection with Sleeping monn´s "Carrot Cake" fic last chap? ;) shes been working hard on that fic and I´ve the honor of helping her a bit :)  
**

* * *

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**CHAPTER 17**

**.**

_._

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Jericho Bermuda was very confused. He remember that the queen of Diamond have come to face him after the remaining hatters had attacked him just when he had managed to evacuate as many as he could to the other countries; he had managed to won against the hatters but he had ended in no condition to fight, situation that the queen took advantage off to corner him inside the coliseum painting where the caucuss game had been held before the foreigner Alice vanished. The last thing he remembered upon his defeat was the feeling of being frozen before the clock of the queen fell to the ground after she used all her life into that last attack.

The next thing he knew was that he was in the ground and a small kitten was jumping on his chest and pawing his nose to wake him up. At first he had though that the cat was a lion, and him being the dodo bird… well, he had gotten scared upon opening his eyes to see iridescent, slitted, amber eyes of a feline so close to his face. Then his vision focused and he became more awake and conscious, only to have another jump when he heard the kitten in his mind calling him "birdie".

.

-_Meow! _(**_Move on birdie!_**_). _

.

Somehow this kitten was letting itself be understood. He had seen plenty of strange stuff but this… the only cat he knew that could talk was a certain pink haired one that used to hang around the train station and had the perk for getting into trouble.

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_-Are you a Cheshire cat?- _This kitten had eyes. Was it a roleholder?

_-Nya? Nyawwww Meow. (**huh? I´m Bunsen or test subject, what´s a Cheshire?**)_

.

He sensed this kitten was a roleholder, and he got the vibe that this was NOT a small feline.

He looked around while the kitten insisted on getting up and get on the move. He tried asking the kitten for information but it was clear that it didn´t know; but for what he gathered, the kitten had somehow gotten him out of the ice and wanted to take him somewhere to meet someone.

Jericho needed to see what the hell had happened to Diamond. By all accounts there was no reason for him to be alive, sure, he didn´t want to die. But he had been disappearing since a long time ago and there was no reason for not having being killed him he was frozen. Unless there was no one else to do so… but then where did this kitten had come from and "who" did it want him to meet?

For such a small being the small cat was really strong and it dragged him a couple centimeters before he had complied to go where it wanted, having nothing better to do and with the prospect of finding someone alive.

Rather than getting out of the painting, they crossed various paintings and walked (he did , the cat had perched himself on his broad shoulders) till he felt himself crossing territorial boundaries; they in the cave lighted by the cristals at the side of the road when they felt it, a roar that put him on guard and that made the little kitten bury its claws in his flesh.

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_-Nyaw…(**What was that?)**_ - Bunsen meowed with fear while digging his claws even more on the man´s flesh.

-_That was the Jabberwocky…_ - He was too surprised to notice the new scars he was getting.

-_Meow,nya…nya …._ (**_What is a jebbersomethign? It sounds scary. Is it a dog?_**)

_-It is a scary being, worse than a dog…_

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Then the little kitten pressed him to move faster and they did. They were at the castle of Diamond and still inside the paintings realm, when Bunsen pinpointed something nearby and it became very excited about having reached "her". They got out of a fresco in a wall of a corridor and Jericho felt himself being hit by the mass of a running person that had not managed to see him or stop in time, and that had ended up hitting the floor by the recoil of the impact.

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_-Meow!_

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Then before the person managed to get up, the kitten jumped in bliss and landed on his (?) face and a kid that had been running to catch up to the person arrived panting.

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-_Bunsen!? _

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The person recognized the kitten and hugged it with affection getting some love licks for the small cat before it also greeted the young teen behind (**_Wasnt he a kid a second ago!?)_**.

He hadn´t interrupted because he rather see what was happening and who this people were. Then the person finally seemed to notice that there was someone else there and "she" turned around with a smile that immediately showed utter shock and then the passing of many emotions in her olive green eyes. She had looked at him as she had seen a ghost and took a step backwards unconsciously. There was a lot of confusion, some disbelief, turmoil, bewilderment, perplexity, etc.. but the most strange thing he found in her longing eyes was intimate recognition.

Was she a new roleholder? No, it couldn´t be. Any roleholder would have tried to kill him on sight. Perhaps she has been one of the faceless that had worked under him or the ones that he had evacuated? But then where was the rest of the people?

Suddenly her eyes emitted a bright glow and some parts of her armor(?) did too.

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-_You are real… - _She said softly after receiving the results of her scans. Her voice sounded broken and frail from so much emotion.

.

A single tear escaped the corner of one of her eyes and leaved a crystalline trail in her face and he felt uncomfortable. The expression she had was something that should be reserved for someone dear.

They were in front of each other in silence, but before anything could be said, the terrible shake caused by the next roar made them flinch, it had been VERY close by. However, she didn´t even seemed to register it.

Frantic running came close and from the shadows of the corridor a humanoid figure emerged.

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_-YOU DARE TO BE ALIVE?! - _Sydney had arrived and stood near her. He was finally in his human form and had left the king behind to reach her faster because the monarch was still too weak to follow his running pace. Without losing sight of the dodo he spoke to her – _That´s the one you need to kill! He´s the responsible for all this!_

_._

She didn´t move. Nor did she acknowledge the rabbits presence or anyone else´s. She didn't know how to react, she couldn´t do anything but stare unable to decide if run from this situation and from his ghost or if she should instead run to him and embrace him to see if he was real as her sensors implied.

The green eyed mercenary was paralyzed looking at the muscular man in front of her and did nothing when a claw made of concentrated darkness hit her from the side and threw her and the boy that had been holding the kitten to the lower patio.

_._

_._

* * *

_._

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Grey had run outside as soon as the roar was heard.

The place was not as he remembered, yet it was still the same. The most important thing was that he couldn´t determine what time change it was and that he couldn´t leave the premises. When the second roar came he had been trying to cross the territory border surrounded by the mist that seemed to retract towards a certain place and let him and everything cross. He saw where the mist was being called to and he ran towards the same direction. The castle of Diamond.

_._

_._

* * *

_._

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Biggs and Wedge knew that the best place to look out for their boss was in the middle of the problems (or at least planning how to get money out of those).

The mirror had left them in a sort of big outdoor patio in the middle of a huge building that they rightly guessed was the castle.

They were in time to see how a big dragon like being crawled its way into said patio from a terrace, looking around for something.

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_-YOU DARE TO BE ALIVE?!_

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Someone screamed, drawing the big beast´s attention to a point behind it. It turned around fast and its tail hit the point in the corridor from where the scream had come from, hitting 2 persons out of the corridor and into the open space that led to the hard floor of the patio bellow. One was a small human figure, the other one was easy to recognize due to her dark armored suit with a mess of golden shades on top of her head.

They ran as fast as they could to intercept the falling person and Biggs jumped just in time to break the fall of their boss in a knightly way by catching her in his arms, while Wedge also showed off by catching the kid and the kitten in midair, whom had been a couple meters from hitting the ground painfully.

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_-Biggs and Wedge to the rescue!_– Biggs grinned before he look down to see her face -_ Boss? Are you ok? What´s wrong?_

_._

She had a dazed look on her face. Even when Biggs lowered her, he kept holding her as she kept a shivering, frail hold on him while she looked at the place high above in the corridor where she had been.

_._

_._

* * *

Alice and the roleholders had crossed the door and appeared at the entrance of the castle of Diamond. They had heard a second roar and saw the trail of something moving to the shadows behind the castle; whatever it was it definitely was VERY big, and they had doubts about the small pistol´s capacity to harm something that size, even if it was the legendary weapon said to be capable of great damage.

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**_FLASHBACK_**

**_._**

Right after the roar had been heard Blood had hold onto her with real fear on his face and everyone had barged into the room with the same fear plastered on their expressions. When she asked what was happening they had just said that the Jabberwocky was free.

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_-What is that?- _Of course she didn´t knew, and the way they were NOT telling her straight didn´t help.

.

They, told her it was a monster that couldn't be harmed and that would devour everything alive. But they failed to convey the horrendous treat that it really was. More revealing was to Alice their clear fear that none of them could hide completely even though some of they tried.

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-(**_Remember our bargain _)** – Alice heard a voice wink at her. If possible it would have been grinning.

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She uselessly looked around. The voice didn´t belong to anyone present. She sensed something hot in the palm of her hand and when she looked down she was surprised to be holding her own vial. Something that she hadn´t seen for a while and that she tough it had been shattered when she accepted her now husband´s connector.

The vial was heating fast without burning her hand; its glow blinded everyone for a second before taking an instant to exploded in a small cloud of colorful smoke and vapors that dissipated almost as soon as they had appeared. The little glass explosion of her vial had hurt her hand enough for it to bleed but it hadn´t caused any serious damage beyond a few spilled drops of blood had mixed with the spilled potion. The interesting part was what was left behind after such thing happened.

In her hand was a gun, a pistol to be precise, and when she moved to look at it she also saw the purple gemmed ring with the unicorn´s motif that seemed to glint amused and exited.

.

_-That´s the winxy pistol! – _Gowland exclaimed with enthusiasm and a hint of hope.

_-THE Winxy pistol?_!- The twins were exited too, as weapon fans they have heard the name of the legendary gun.

-_Winxy pistol?- _Alice hold it up so that the others could see it better.

_-One of the only two weapons that can harm the frumious creatures_ – The king said with approval but still with gloom.

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Alice didn´t know what a frumious creature was, but the roar that they had heard probably belong to one. She saw the slight hope in the roleholders eyes and remembering the words in her mind she found it easy to believe.

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They opened the door to Diamond and crossed with the assent of the unicorn´s will.

The only one to remain behind waiting for something was the queen of hearts.

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**END FLASHBACK**

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They arrived to another floor that connected to the now broken terrace and saw the big dragon turning to look at the lower floor´s patio, where a faceless was holding protectively a known armored figure and another man was setting behind them a small kid carrying a kitten. To their shock, the mercenary that was the reason for their arrival into Diamond was not doing anything.

They needed to do something before the worst happened. One by one, everyone tried to shoot the winxy pistol. It seemed to lack ammunition or any way to be reloaded. It was useless weapon if it have nothing to shoot, at least until Alice took it and accidentally shoot it causing a glowing bullet to be sent towards the other foreigner in the patio bellow almost causing her dead had the faceless not moved her in time.

They knew now that Alice was the only one that could shoot that weapon. Maybe because she was a foreigner or maybe because she had been the one favored by the other side of the mirror through the unicorn. The bad news was that the shoot had called the beast´s attention towards the impact point and the other foreign girl who seemed to get out of her daze but not for a good.

_._

_._

Aria looked around her immediate area and noticed how easy that bullet could have killed Biggs or Wedge, or even Armalite and Bunsen. She felt the needles from her suit sink in her spine with a cold chill and she saw the fearful, yet determined looks in the faceless men at her sides. She wa snot the only one being targeted, they too could have died and that sent her another cold jolt along her spine.

In a single instant she saw all that they had passed together. When they saved her during the first ball, Biggs begging her to become their new boss and her eventual agreement to it. Wedge´s improvement in management and her giving him so many books, their training together with the rest of the partitura, the tattoos with Rolf… Everything!

They had passed though so much together and their relation could not be exactly described. She was their boss but she was also her friend and maybe more, she didn't comprehend exactly. And she didn't care right now. Someone had made a grave mistake, someone had targeted her and them. And in doing so, whoever it was had unleashed her already strained anger control. One thing was being hunted down. She was used to that, but to target her... well, they were HER biggs and Wedge and HER armalite and HER bunsen. A dire mistake indeed. The rage was so great that it made her forget temporary the russian ghost she had seen.

Using the zoom on her implanted eye lenses Aria saw Alice holding a weird gun, surrounded by various roleholders, one Alice was holding a weapon. It was clear for the mercenary; Alice had tried to kill her one way or another, either by snipping her or by giving her location to the dragon thing with glowing tracing bullets.

That was it! They had followed her to kill her! They were hunting her down and had targeted those close to her, and Alice had dare to try and snipe her personally!

She was out of it and whomever got in her way was not gonna end well; and the one she was seeing with all that boiled up madness and anger in a murderous rage was none other than Alice Lidell.

_._

_._

* * *

_._

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The jabberwocky was amused.

Not so long ago it had felt itself be slowly released from his ice prison. Once it had gotten out of it with a victory roar it had felt the urge to rampage and devour everything. The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! It envisioned itself and it chortled awake.

It felt something powerful around the place and it found the way to reach the outside of the cave that had been its cell. It saw a wall of ice made out of what gave form to this world and in his impulse went out to break, absorb and consume its power while basking in itself and what made it exist, all the old hate and despair lingering in the country from all those hearts that had already passed.

It soon was done with the ice barrier that had also prevented it from going to other parts of the country when it felt it. And it wanted it. It was near, the will that gave form and strength to this world, the thing that could provide it with what it desired; it wanted a true form of its own and it wanted what it was never meant to have from a beating heart.

It headed to where it felt the heart that was singing a chorus of varied emotions and reached a big open space. It turned around at the scream from one of those that were entitled to play the game for what it wanted and could not get. Then it felt more strong clocks arrive; Oh joy would it feel if it could feel! For there was other heart around! It was about to face the newcomers when a buzzing trail of light impacted in the ground bellow guiding its attention to the floor and marked what it was looking for, a foreigner. It grinned or gave such impression to itself and to whoever dared to look at its head.

It would deal with the fearful one and the entitled ones around it later. Right now it had its attention on the delicious hate and rage that were sweeping out from that frumius foreigner below. It was lovely, she looked very fine dressed in rage. More so when that sweeping rage was directed at the other foreigner. How curious it was that such emotions were not directed at it, yet they were overflowing from her and eh was reaping the power out of them.

It stopped for a second, something akin to a memory, where it to be capable of such, squirmed in its not whole being. Something about its essence? Smell? It didn´t know, but it knew it had been something it knew from long ago. It did not matter. It felt a barrage of impacts hitting its body and that angered it once more. Despite being so big, it had no space in itself for attending more than one matter at a time.

It roared once again and dissolved a bit of himself as he supposed the one that had created the ice had done. Around the place a barrier raised, not of ice but of the darkness of despair, fear and hate that made his form too in order to keep away the ones with purpose until it finished its feast.

_._

_._

* * *

_._

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**Biggs and Wedge to the rescue! But what can they do against that thing?And oh heavens! she finally realized and admitted that she cares about them., is it too late? and what about when she finally realized that the roleholders and not there to kill her but to save her (and Wonderland) ? Now they are dealing not only with the Jabberwocky, but with a mad and angry Aria. One thing is to target her, but to target what she cares about (if she realizes she does care about, that is)... bad, bad idea.**

**And oh,oh... ****Y se cayó de la sartén al fuego. ****Alice is in trouble. What do you think will happen?**


	18. Chapter 18

**_._**

**_OK, first lets see where was everyone._**

**_-Aria is in the middle of a patio the size of an arena with Biggs, Wedge, Armalite, Bunsen and the Jabberwocky.n_**

**_-Alice arrived to Diamond with the hatters, Gowland, Peter and the king. Vivaldi followed suit and then Joker went afterwards._**

**_- Boris and Pierce had crossed on their own. _**

**_-Ace is…. Probably lost and Julius was at the stairs that connect the countries._**

**_-Grey is running towards the castle of Diamond_**

**_-Nightmare remained behind at the station with the lullaby _**

**_-Sydney left icecube behind and ran to a corridor above the patio. Jericho Bermuda is there too._**

**_I guess that´s everyone_**

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**CHAPTER 18**

**.**

Aria´s olive green eyes glinted with malice and spite and was replaced by a red circular glint over her irises when she activated her optic lenses to lock on her target; her attention was on a now older looking Alice, and she had no good intentions at all. Being targeted by such pathetic being as that girl was a personal an acute insult and affront, the kind of affront that in her home was washed with running blood.

Fuck this world and everything else! This had been the last string broken, the last straw! All that happened had piled up so much that her mind was not taking anything more, the dreaded cognitive overload had finally happened and only pre-programmed prerogatives were to be followed.

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-_Co**m**in**g **all **th**e w**a**y h**er**e to **ki**ll **me, **e**h**!?– _She roared towards Alice in a digitized robotic she skipped translation and went ahead using her mother tongue. _-******************************** CONTINUOUS AND RAMPANT PROFANITIES ************ !_

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Everyone heard her clearly obscene spat, but thankfully no one understood a word of what she said, which was probably for the best because it was not hard to tell that it had been clearly very graphic, crude, low and vulgar, because she had used her own language, a language known in her world for being very wide and specific, with the capacity to insult absolutely everything in many ways with lots of synonyms, and going up far the generations present and future, unlike the language spoken by the other foreigner where insults generally refereed to sex (fuck) or fesses (shit).

She was raging, probably more so than the Jabberwocky. Rage was her anesthetic and the machine processing of her phases had overridden any persona protocols.

_._

_-Boss!? – _Biggs and Wedge called to her worried. She acknowledged their existence but ignored them. Or rather she got even more angry at they being targeted too and she exploded in fury.

_._

Without losing sight of Alice, Aria went for her other weapon charm´s bracelet as she had lend the first one to Armalite; She focused on the expression on Alice´s face but didn´t care to try and interpret what it meant, or rather she was aiming between the other girl´s eyes. She took one charm and transformed it back to what it was supposed to be, a mortar. A heavy tube that reached almost to her waist, with 2 adjustable movil legs like a tripod to keep it steady, and wide enough to put a man´s first inside it its mouth. It was extremely old fashioned for the technology she was used to, with medium range and had bad accuracy for her standards, but it was destructive and explosive, and it had the capacity to shoot the explosive shells to an upper place in a parabolic curve and she was ready to use it. She wasn´t listening, she wasn´t thinking, she was a volcano of unbounded, frenzied fury. She was just in an mechanical and automatic attack mode, raging like a beast and aiming like a machine.

Analyzing her surroundings she smiled madly in way that resembled more a snarl than any other facial expression. She was planning to use all her remaining ammunition if needed, in this state there were only 2 prerogatives for her:

.

1- Destroy threat/disturbance

And:

2-Do so with extreme prejudice.

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She didn´t hesitate, the red target circled flashed over her retina and the integrated connected circuits made the parabolic curve calculations for the trajectory of the artillery projectile; she shoot towards the other foreigner.

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-What did I do...- Alice murmured in her almost petrified state. They had managed to cross to Diamond and as soon as they arrived to the castle the roleholders had dispersed to look out for the second foreigner and had been guided by the fearsome roar of the Jabberwocky towards a big patio surrounded by multi leveled corridors.

Since everyone came from different routes they were all separated in different sections around the patio and had a different look of the action and the other beings already there.

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-_Alice!- _Blood grabbed the Alice by the waist with ease and dashed away as soon as he saw the red glow in the merc´s eyes when said lunatic made a sort of tube appear in her hands and point it towards Alice´s position.

_._

Alice As soon as they had arrived to Diamond castle, the roleholders had dispersed to look out for the second foreigner and had been guided by the fearsome roar of the Jabberwocky towards a big patio surrounded by multi leveled corridors.

Since everyone came from different routes they were all separated in different sections around the patio and had a different look of the action and the other beings already there.

Blood knew Aria had aimed in their direction and recognized the enraged and maddened atmosphere around the psycho fem mercenary; whatever that nutcase was using it was sure to be deadly dangerous.

A hissing sound came and just barely did the mad hatter managed to jump with Alice in his grasp, behind a tick column to protect both of them from the explosion that destroyed the place they had been standing before while the rest of the hatters dispersed to avoid being hit. Elliot jumped to the platform bellow while the twins went to the opposite of the upper corridor. They had avoided the direct shoot but had several superficial lacerations done by the shrapnel. Everyone looked with impressed shock from their separated positions at the different levels at the wretch that was left where the ammunition shell had landed. The firepower she was using was as potent if not more than a well placed bomb and with the capacity to rip through flesh with the they not jumped to a different level or taken cover behind the thick stony architecture, they´d be dead.

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Blood let go off Alice and moved at the side of the column, he took out his machine gun and pointed it towards where Aria had been but there was no artillery tube and no girl there, instead he found the terrible creature in the way, with a creepy satisfied smile like growl in its jaws.

Maddened and fruming she may be, but stupid she was not. She was using the Jabberwocky as a meat shield .

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-_Damn! She´s using it as cover!– _He shoot anyways, maybe with luck a bullet would reach her, if not it would hit the thing.

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_-Blood! – _Alice appealed to him, but he didn´t stop shooting. So she moved his machine gun upwards.

_-She´s trying to kill you!- _Blood snapped at her._  
_

_-That´s because I almost hit her! It's a misunderstand! – _Alice was scared, but she was also aware that the mistake had been hers and she felt guilty at almost having killer her because of a stupid error. She didnt knew how to use guns. What had she been thinking!?

.

From another platform the twins were helping each other to get up. From there, they had a better view of their big sis reloading the tube. There was no need for them to interpret the situation. Perhaps under any other circumstances this would have been fun, but now it was a lot more than dangerous for everyone and the fact that their big sis was attacking directly was the most definite pointer at how cracked she was at the moment. They had train her in direct combat just like she asked them because she NEVER attacked directly, with her it was the collateral damage what you had to fear; and like the debrishing results of the blast she had shoot towards Alice showed, her direct attacks were no joke either.

The twins were impressed by her usage of weaponry but were also very worried. Despite the danger, their big sis Aria didn´t even seemed to reckon the big dangerous thing made out of darkness near her, she in fact was taking cover behind it while shooting at Alice and Blood´s direction.

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-_SIS STOP IT! – _Dum screamed to Aria while shooting madly at the fearsome dragon that seemed as confused as them.

_-What´s wrong with her?! – _Dee was as worried as his brother. She was too far away and too mad to even notice them.

_._

While the twins were getting themselves together, Elliot ran along the corridor he had landed bellow to the left to get to a better position to shoot the beast, and saw the maddened foreigner with a couple of faceless and a kid. His sensible ears caught part of the desperate voices of the men that were at Aria´s side protecting her from the Jabberwock, they were calling her "boss" and were trying to make her snap out of it without results.

-_She thinks we´re the enemy! – _Elliot realized. When Alice had failed the shoot, Aria had tough it was aimed at her and she was responding to the treat. But something was wrong, well, wronger in any case… She was not fighting against the Jabberwocky, she was aiming for Alice! He was impressed at the sheer accuracy and destructive power she was using. But she was using that against them instead of the real treat in front of her! – _keep shooting at the Jabberwocky brats!_

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Elliot ran along the corridor he had landed bellow to the left and saw the maddened foreigner with a couple of faceless and a kid. His sensible ears caught part of the desperate voices of the men that were at Aria´s side protecting her from the Jabberwock, they were calling her "boss" and were trying to make her snap out of it without results. The mafia´s 2º in command realized that she was simply not there mentally, she was in a sort of instinctual state. It was bad and he knew why. He remembered one of his cooking sessions with Pierce and the outsider. She had joked that in a terminally bad situation she would merely fall into her basic survival protocol of "goodbye person, hello automatic mental processing", it was like his own feral state where he could not control his instincts; maybe she actually hadn´t been joking… had she ever joked with them?

Elliot was shooting desperately towards the creature when it turned to Alice, but he and everyone knew it was useless, they could not harm it, nothing from wonderland could. The only weapon capable of damage it was in Alice´s hands and Alice did not know how to use a weapon properly, much less when she was being targeted by a mad mercenary incapable of reasoning at the moment.

_Just in time, _Blood saw another red flash and rising smoke and took Alice to another hiding place once again. This time the explosion hit in front of them barely giving the roleholder time to take cover. She had trapped them. They could not go behind or forward, so he had to see how to reach the floor below or above and hope that was not what Aria had plan.

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-_Blood, help me aim. – _And her husband saw the look of determination in her face. When a foreigner had decided something there was no turning back.

_._

_._

* * *

_._

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If possible, the Jabberwocky would be offended. The little beating heart bellow was ignoring it! And worse of all, it was trying to kill the other beating heart!

Or maybe… if it were possible it would feel amused, maybe even confused. It didn't know what to attack first! The little beat near it was raging, but it was something the Jabberwocky had never felt, there was no hate or despair, not even fear despite it being near her, there were no feelings it could recognize, just a blind set of focused killer intent. Something that vaguely stirred a sense of deja vú or perhaps resembled its own existence; but that was lost a few seconds later when an explosion hit where the other heart had been, drawing the dragon´s attention. The other heart was generating something it knew very well, it was fear, guilt, sadness, confusion and growing despair and regret, things that it savored, sensations that it feed on.

It decided to go for what it knew oh so well.

_._

_._

* * *

_._

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Both Kings meet in a hallway and it was very awkward because both of them more or less knew what the other was supposed to know, and about what was going on.

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_-You are alive_ _Diamond!?_

_-Hearts? How are you here!?_

_-….._

_-….._

_._

The second roar broke the silence.

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_-Is it completely free? – _The king of Hearts asked.

_-The real power is still trapped in Spades. But this one…. This is just as bad._

_-And now we have given it 2 foreigners… - _The king of hearts had a sunken look.

_-What about (pant)… a foreigner that(pant)… does not loves or hates? The Jabberwocky cant feed of her then, right? –_ A third voice joined.

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Both kings turned to look at the newcomer, the ruler of Clover.

_._

_-Oh? That would be new… - _The kings of hearts considered_ – BY THE VORPAL BLADE ! She stands a chance!_

_._

Nightmare grinned knowing that such might be and he dared to have a peek of hope. It was not much, but it was the best chance this world would ever have against a thing like the Jabberwocky.

A foreigner that couldn´t feel could not fall prey to a creature that fed of feelings. And that monster couldnt be hurt by anything from wonderland (save a weapon that miraculous weapon), but a foreigner WAS NOT from wonderland, and Aria had proven to be a capable fighter despite her claims… Nightmare now could see a glimpse of why wonderland had brought in this foreigner.

Their small moment of optimism came to a halt when they heard an explosion and the distant sound of many people running towards it. Nightmare smiled, he had arrived with reinforcements.

_._

_._

* * *

_._

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Then the Jabberwocky let out a growl and a huge barrier appeared around the patio and they could see it turning to look at Aria maliciously after losing sight of Alice when Blood jumped to the corridor bellow to avoid another explosion.

Elliot saw that the creature was about to attack Aria and tried to jump into the patio to reach her but the barrier impeded his passage and the twins from where they had been. They couldn´t reach her.

Things had gone from bad to worse and despitefully good for the Jabberwocky that seemed to receive the barrages of bullets from the roleholders as nothing more than a bothersome nuisance, it was the small and continuous attacks from the faceless bellow that were starting to sting it. The faceless men were doing their best to protect the berserking foreigner and the kid, while said kid was using weapon after weapon from a shiny bracelet in his small wrist.

The Jabberwocky decided that he could deal with the roleholders later as they were no treat. It also knew that those with duties would try to kill the heart bellow to get it away from its jaws, like it happened in the past last time it was imprisoned; Using part of the power it had consumed, it created a barrier to prevent the roleholders from interrupting.

It now gave all its attention to the foreigner bellow that was still hell bend on attacking the other foreigner. It didn´t care about the faceless men and child, nor the feline roleholder that was perched near the foreigner. It wanted the foreigner and the most terrible despair it could ever feel so that it could devour all of her heart. But this foreigner was a blanc mass, there were no feeling. A lot of emotion, rage mainly, but no fear and no despair and it was ignoring it, the Jabberwocky! And it didn't like that.

With another roar the Jabberwocky went for the foreigners mind and showed her the truth she had forgotten and Aria saw everything.

Her chest felt a clutching pressure. It was a hurting sensation she had not recall of experienced before, it was a personal terrible cold and numbing sensation that left her hollowed. Despite she knowing her suit was giving her shocks to try and keep her focused and out of her thoughts, she was not feeling them. She was lost in the visions of the files that had been hidden in the back of her drives, decrypting files that she had not been aware of; knowing what really had happened.

Now she knew what Peter feared she would learn. Everything was over and it was pointless to go back to her world, there was nothing to go back to but to the death she had already accepted and started. She now knew the truth and it hurt.

It had been a little after her encounter with the wild geese revolutionaries that she had been close to her destination when she had been caught into a big combat where she had to fight with all she had to survive and get out of there. She had gotten out alive, but she had been wounded and exposed to the attention of a hidden nearby compound from of an "independent development firms" that manufactured Bio Organical Weapons and cybernetic arms and equipment; she had been submitted and captured.

Of course she was an oddity and a great finding to study and improve, they had tested and experimented on their new found doll and had made some enhancements, and she had let them because she was curious too and she wanted to see what improvements could be done to her body. All the time she had been conscious of everything and in constant synch with the instruments nearby with the power to get free any moment she desired without them even noticing, with the side effect of eroding parts of her psyche persona. But she sickly decided to allow such bio-mechanical research to continue until she considered it was time to get going. When they were talking about ovule extractions she had gotten out, her main prerogative was still standing and the nuclear launch site was a few days away.

She had fought her way out of the facility destroying it in the process by taking control of all the systems and even a combat Mecha "titan", an armored combat unit like the tripulated robots from the anime´s she had liked when younger in testing phases. A combat prototype that would have been sold in the war to all sides. And she had made sure that no one got away when she released the neurotoxins in all the facility.

After that, and because if things could go wrong they would, or so said an unspoken universal law, she had been trapped in the middle of a battlefield near her destination for the control of the not secret anymore missile´s silo. She had barely gotten out that alive somehow thanks to the Mecha but her wounds were extensive already when she managed to infiltrate in the site. There were no supplies nor anything left, probably not even much of herself.

She made her way towards the controls and she synchronized with all the "skynet" nuclear network. She destroyed all digital safes, eroded all passwords and activated all controls. She did what had to be done and then she had waked up in this world.

Wonderland had taken her back to the moment in her past when she was happier, before shit got critically bad. If she drank the potion of hearts and went back it would be for naught, she was a couple minutes at best from the epicenter of a nuclear blast, her body, including all the enhanced cybernetics was too damaged and her conscious had been about to shut down permanently. She was dying.

It was about to end. She was closing her eyes and drifting into a last dream like state, probably the moment Wonderland had been waiting to get her since she had not indulged into a dream trance since she passed by the entrance to this world years ago. That time she had indeed jumped in the hole in the ground, but there were no files about that in her records, she had been conscious, so maybe there hadn´t been a way for the entrance to let her in, but it undoubly had taken notice of her and had waited till it could drag her there.

She didn't notice the Jabberwocky smirking in satisfaction; she didn´t notice the hurried dozens of steps running towards her location because she was deaf to the looming screams around as much as to every other sound.

She was cut off from anything and everything, just her knowledge of the truth was there with her. She was as good as dead, she should have been dead for months and all her time in this place, all the preparations for "anything that would help her back in her world to achieve her goal" was pointless.

The fight was over, the nukes were delivered and millions were dead or about to die in seconds, and those were the fortunate ones. The unfortunate ones would have to live in the after effects. The destruction had been great and she knew the implications. The entire economic system of the world would collapse, entire economic blocks and their countries would be shattered. But all that would save the rest in the long run, it had been a trade from total destruction to heavy focused annihilation.

And her… she shouldn´t be alive, that was not meant to be. It wasn't fair! It should have been over already! It had ended and there was no reason for going on, she had no reason to fight anymore…

She fell to her knees in defeat and threw herself upwards to look at the darkened sky. A steady but silent flow of tears ran at the corners of her eyes and along her cheeks without her noticing, her arms were limp by her side. There was nothing else to do. It was over. her duty was done and she had finished too. She was going to die here anyways, so why bother …

_._

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_._

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_**I added some little questions at the end of the past fic,"Wonderful wonderful science" . Just some general questions that would help me improve my writing. Im not answer to those reviews but I will greatly appreciate it if you could check them out. :)**_

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* * *

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**How was it? ****Was her true past (or future) shocking?**

**Alice was not the only one with a horribly and *literally* dead future, however, everything that Aria did and allowed to be done to her was because she allowed it and probably gave up her humanity in the process. In the end, there was very little of a person remaining in there, "the ghost in the shell" you could say. And know she knows that no matter what she did it was pointless to go back to her world. The oh so glorious dead she wanted was taken from her, and there is nothing to go back to as she managed a "nuclear peace" by means of world scale annihilation. And she is completely aware of all the implications and effects.**

**Wonderland managed to bring Aria just minutes from her dead because that was the moment when she left her mind to drift into sleep and a path between worlds could be established, had Wonderland been able to do it would have done so earlier. **

**Did wonderland brought a feeling less foreigner on purpose or did it just took advantage of it as the circumstances of her time here unfolded? ****What do you think?**

**.**

**.**


	19. Chapter 19

**Happy Birthday to _Animefreak1145._**

**Thanks to her and _Sleeping Moo_n for their help in figuring out the emotional parts of the characters and other stuff. Also because of them and all the reviews I get motivation to sit down to finish this fic). **

**I thank too all those who helped me by answering some of the questions regarding my writing style at the end of the "Wonderful wonderful science " , if you havent please do, as you can see Im trying to improve :)  
**

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**CHAPTER 19**

**.**

Everyone saw the Jabberwocky launching an attack that went straight though Aria. It was not a physical attack, yet its effects were more devastating on her. A few interminable seconds passed in which everything seemed to stay still, then, her eyes lost their shone and her trembling hands let go of her weapon, and while she let herself fall to her knees, her mortar hit the ground with a dry looming sound that echoed around.

At that moment, all roleholders stopped feeling her heart. They didn´t felt it like last time when her heart stopped beating but it reminded them of that too; it didn´t feel as if she had been killed or have leaved this world. It felt more as if her heart was simply not there anymore; as if there was no way to reach it, it had felt as if the game of hearts had no target at all.

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* * *

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Sydney and Jericho had ran to the edge of the corridor´s stone rail when the Jabberwocky attacked to see how the falling figures were saved just in time by a couple of faceless men. They would have sighed of relief had it not being for the dreaded Jabberwocky turning their way to look at their precarious position, and then, as if looking for something, turned to gaze to another location in the corridors surrounding the patio.

Thus, the black rabbit and the dodo were forced into a sort neutral stance.

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_-Who is that!? – _Jericho honestly had no idea what was going on. But he knew that the Jabberwocky was as bad as it was and that the girl that seemed to know him was important somehow, his gut told him that.

_-She´s a foreigner_ – The only reason Sydney was not trying to kill the dodo was because the Jabberwocky was a more urgent and terrible matter, especially considering that a foreigner was within its reach.

_-She must not die! – _Running towards them was none other than the white rabbit.

-_White!? - _Sydney was understandably surprised at seeing the other prime minister.

-_I see you´re still alive Black, somehow… – _Peter said with some disdain; as soon as the roleholders from the other side of the mirror arrived to Diamond, everyone separated to cover more ground. He wanted to either go with Alice or wait for the queen, but the king´s orders were still standing. He grudgingly leaved Alice´s safety to the hatter and went on his way in a slightly different direction than the hatters. - _You dare to remain alive when your country is like this..._ - He was about to add another snarky remark but stopped any further comment when he looked at the dodo; he remembered some of Aria´s happy memories and the man that had been in those. Just like Blood Dupre looked like Alice´s past love, Jericho Bermuda looked like Arias´s former lover._– You truly look like that man…!_

_._

Their words were cut short by Aria´s unintelligible rant and the following explosion caused by the weapon she had used. After that, shooting towards the Jabberwocky started and the two prime ministers plus the dodo joined if to keep the beast from attacking the raging foreigner at its grasp.

_._

_-Bloody mercenary! What is she doing!?- _Peter changed gun when he ran out of bullets. He could not comprehend why Aria was acting like that.

_-Stop fussing around White! This is not the time to…! – _Sydney stopped when he saw the actions of the Jabberwocky that let the foreigner in a defeated state. The hollow sensation of her heart being lost had given him a clutch to his clock because he was seeing with his own eyes how she was submitting to grief despite still being alive.

_-NO!_ –Peter screamed in anguish. If she surrendered everything was lost. It was desperate the terrible lack of her heart´s understood how terrible her despair ought to be. When the Jabberwocky deal his most terrible blow everyone knew that she had just been presented with her worst fears, most terrible experiences and the entire of her memories (or whatever she had instead; only those entitled by their roles to know about what she´d seen could understand how terrible the shock for her was right now. She was completely defenseless and the stupid barrier that rose before them didn´t allow them to cross. She needed to defend herself, but she didn't have the will to do so anymore. He looked around to see if there was a way to bypass the barrier and reach her before the most terrible happened when his eyes landed on the dodo; his ears perched up and he addressed the gravedigger.

_-You! –_Peter turned to look at the dodo from head to feet_- Can you fake a thick accent_? – Sydney would have thought that the prime minister from hearts was crazy if not for the seriousness of his face and the fact that he was way more worried about the foreigner´s break down bellow.

_-What? -_Yes_, _Jericho Bermuda definitely had no idea what was going on, but if there was a chance however small to do something, even if it was weird, and maybe even get out alive of this himself, he would try.

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* * *

_._

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The faceless rushed to the grieving and defeated looking figure despite the danger ever present of the looming Jabberwocky that was savoring all the grieve and despair in the environment.

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-_Boss! _

_-What´s wrong, boss?!_

_-Lady A!_

_-Meow!_

_._

She didn´t hear or noticed them, all sound was muffled, all images were a meaningless blur, there was nothing else or left for her. It was all gone, SHE was done. There was no mission to fulfill anymore, nor was there any reason to go on. She was as good as dead and she better be death for good.

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_-Meow…-_Bunsen´s ears laid flat against his head, overwhelmed with the feel of the devastating distress of his mistress and the sad sorrow her whole being projected. He couldn´t understand what had happened, but he was there and he had to do something to get her better. Who would feed or pet him otherwise? –_nya….- _The kitten meowed pathetically to her. He rubbed its head against her cheek, went around her shoulders and finally, it bit her ear and then put himself in front of her face. That seemed to catch her attention, she took a hold of her beloved kitten and after looking him in the eyes she hug him tightly.

Aria was clutching tightly to her cat that didn´t seem to mid her desperate clutch, she didn't knew what she was doing, she just wanted to hold onto something real and present. This hollow and quenching sensation was alien to her, yet it was happening. It was a blundering pain that left her staggering and disconnected. It was happening as a physical reaction, she knew that, but it was so overwhelming that she could not comprehend it because at the same time it feel so far away from her that she could not control her body functions like the tears and sobs that were escaping her restrain.

Things looked so bad for her that no one noticed when the Jabberwocky used its swirling, reptilian tail with little effort like a tangling whip to surround and tie together the arms of the devastated foreigner. She didn't pose any resistance, and let the grasp around her limbs tighten and pull her upwards in the air with a sudden jolting pull move from the creature, that raises her figure to its head level to properly look at the feeble and languid female with curiosity.

The mercenary hung without mercy from in the air; her feet dangling freely and her head leaning to a side with the multiple shades and layers of blond locks falling over her hazy eyes, hiding her dull expression from the world. She looked like a completely dull and broken marionette, being held by the feeble strings tangled in her arms, with no will of its own to move or to act.

The creature left the precious prize it was claiming hanging in the air for everyone to see before it decided that this was perhaps the moment it had always desired, maybe that was why it could not feel her heart anymore. It was time, finally it would devour a real heart, the most wanted thing and the most precious and powerful prize attainable in the world, and it was finally his. It slowly opened its blackened jaws to show its forked tongue licking its terrible fangs in anticipated delight at the prospect of devouring its prey and then licked her upwards without any resistance on her part.

The Jabberwocky raised its tail above its head and prepared to throw the captured female up in the air to engulf her in a single bite when a few gunshots ripped through the air and impacted on the behemoth in the side of its head, it had been hurt; the beast turned with anger to the source of the bullets and was hit with another barrage of projectiles that came from the other tiny beating heart.

With Blood behind her in an embrace helping her aim, Alice was shooting at the Jabberwocky, the embodiment of fears and the most fearsome creature of the old fruming ones. With every shot she got very tired, using the winxy pistol was a tiresome thing that consumed her energy, so every single shot had to count. With Blood´s help, she was holding herself together and standing, damaging the frumius creature at a distance.

The draconian beast hissed at Alice and was ready to act when the rest of the lullaby and their remaining true allies from Diamond arrived and hit it with another barrage of bullets coming from almost all directions, mercilessly attacking the creature trying to make it drop their boss and saint patron, while screaming and claiming for her to react. They had got no problems crossing the barrier because it had been created to keep the roleholders away; but they were not roleholders, they were faceless. But thanks to Aria Hadron Scherzi, they were not mere faceless, they were people with a cause and a reason for existing, something ultimately important in this world.

She switched a bit upon acknowledging the buzzing sound of the skirmish bellow and from being dangles a lot due to the creatures movements.

The jabberwocky clawed in annoyance, the faceless were actually causing some damage, slowly and barely but certainly, something that had never happened before. And distracted by it, the dragon once again seemed undecided if to attack the pests, go for the other foreigner shooting at it, or if deal with its captured prey.

Before it could decide, a couple knives thrown by Grey, who had just arrived, struck the Jabberwocky in one of its eyes making it flinch. And Bunsen, that had clung to his owner this whole time, jumped towards the dragon and made its way to the enormous head to scratch and bite at the other eye with the strength and courage of a lion.

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_-DON´T YOU DARE GIVE UP! - _Grey screamed to her in hopes of making her react. He had finally arrived and saw her breakdown, but despite his efforts he had been unable to cross the barrier. Since he could not come to the rescue he climbed to a position where his knives could.

_-DO SOMETHING YOU IDIOT! IF YOU DIE AFTER MAKING ME COME ALL THE **** WAY HERE, THEN I´LL….- _Both of Joker had finally arrived and were trying a similar tactic than the lizard by going to upper ground, but they knew that it all depended on her own will. She needed to choose and that choice would mean everything, for her and for this world. Unlike Alice´s choice of merely choosing between remembering or forgetting, Aria´s was about finding something to live for, but Joker was confident that if she had survived till this point all that terrible stuff, she just might survive all of this, or so he hoped. He really didn't want her to die, but he was pretty conscious that if she didn't choose to live, as a friend he would have to kill her himself before the Jabberwocky did. -_DON'T YOU WANT TO DISSECT THAT THING AND NOT JUST FOR SCIENCE?!_

_-DON'T FEAR, YOUR KNIGHT IS HERE! - _From the air a figure clad in red dropped down heroically from a caucuss bird that was being guided by a long blue haired man, with a sword gripped firmly in his hands. Ace had gone through the mirror just enough to grab Julius´s arm trough the entrance of the portal stairs, and he had dragged him to him so that both could go and hijack (save) the dame. Of course that by that moment and with the confusion of two minds to deal with (one of them arguing and worrying nonstop and the other being just happy), the mirror had dropped them in the wrong place. But it was a place Ace knew. They were in the coliseum painting of the last caucuss game in Diamond. They somehow managed to grab one of the caucuss bird that loomed around, and rode it towards where the roar of the fiendish Jabberwocky had come from. The castle of Diamond.

As soon as they were above the beast, Ace jumped down and sliced the tail end of the jabberwocky to free the hanging figure from its grasp, causing it to throw the maiden up into the air. Ace´s plan had been to cut her free of the beast´s clutching hold and grave her in the air, but when he passed by her a fraction of a second before cutting into the creatures scaly flesh, he saw her numb state. It was the most lost look the knave had ever seen and he repented from having wished to see her lost. This was not the kind of "lost but cute look" he wanted in her, not even a "lost and desperate" or a pretty "lost and uncertain" appearance; no, this was the kind of lost that was beyond hope and without chance of nothing more, as if her mind was as lost as her heart when he felt the lose of her heart. He´d had to figure out how to find her somehow. But that would have to wait, because due to the impression of her state he has gotten distracted while cutting the dragons tail and when the dragon started biting and attacking blindly, it had managed to hit and toss Ace outside outside the barrier with one of its mad attacks.

While blindly recoiling and raving around, the startled Jabberwocky created smaller copies of itself that sprawled from the barrier's wall towards faceless and roleholders. It had no problem sacrificing the energy of a few lives, it still have hundreds of lives to spend from all those who had fallen against it.

The beast rampaged and twisted to get rip of the pest clawing at its face. When it lost the end of its tail it recoiled in more shock than pain, managing to toss the feline away and snapping its jaws over the caucuss bird that, having been overwhelmed with fear had and ended up flying too close to the dragon despite Julius efforts to steer it, forcing the mortician to jump away from it and get hit and tossed by the violent shakes of the dark beast.

Ace gracefully jumped in the air to land majestically in the floor after chopping up the head of one of the Jabberwocky´s copies that was coming out of the barrier. He majestically rose up in a knightly pose to catch Julius bridal style when the mortician had being hit by the dragons moves aoutside the barrier too and towards the knave, who after letting Julius down, gleefully launched himself to deal with the next pooping beast. Fighting a dragon to rescue a damsel in distress was definitely the most knightly thing Ace had ever done!

Still, all the efforts of the people fighting would be in vain unless she reacted and did something before falling to the ground. Her suit shocked her in what could be described as its way to slap her out of her apathetic stupor, but she was yet to react.

Awaiting her willful demise upon being thrown in the air she closed her eyes considering that it wasn't even worth opening her eyes for it.

No, that was not true, she didn't want to see, she didn't want to open her eyes to any other possibility than her own forecasted dead; the unyielding voices bellow and around have reached her sore ears and scattered mind, but she didn't want to hear what they said, why for? Why were they here? To come and get her? To kill her before the Jabberwocky did? Why didn't they ran away? What was the point?

-_HEY GURL! DON´T DIE, FIGHT, DA?! - _Jericho did his best to manage the voice and accent the white rabbit had wanted him to try (to the snarky snickers of the other rabbit). And it amazingly seemed to trick her beaten and sorrowful heart, for she turned to look at him just as she reached the highest point in the air before starting to fall towards the jaws of the regenerating monstrosity.

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**And they all finally arrived! Will she react?**


	20. Chapter 20

**Thanks to _Animefreak1145_ and _Sleeping Moo_n for helping me figure out the emotional reactions of the characters and explain them better.**

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**CHAPTER 20**

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-_HEY GURL! DON´T DIE, FIGHT, DA?! _

She looked at the source of the tick, strong voice that stirred a shiver in her body and mind from memories belonging to a life already passed.

Andrick Jeloudov did seem to be there as her sensors had indicated previously. Tall, strong and as fit as any soldier of fortune would hope to be in order to survive the daily struggles of harsh battlefield combat. His muscular frame proudly displayed his scars, and even from her position in midair she clearly saw his worried stance as he leaned on the rail of the corridor with a desperate frowning expression, looking at her expectantly…

Except that it couldn´t be. He was dead, wasn´t he?... but… So was she, right? Or at least in her own world she was just minutes away from dying. Not different from what was about to happen here. She was falling, like when you throw a ball in the air and it stays a second suspended at its maximum height before dropping down.

She locked her puffy and watery olive green eyes with the icy blue ones of the scared and muscular man, keeping her gaze connected to his for a second that seemed to last an eternity for her. He was still there, looking back at her... and everything seemed to become clear, plain and simple.

Years ago she had passed near the entrance of Wonderland while running away from a battle zone. Wonderland had taken notice of her and she had jumped in the rabbit´s hole, but this world had been unable to drag her inside it, perhaps due to her strong ties to her own world; but Wonderland had wanted to have her and kept waiting for a chance to create a path through the dream realm to bring her to it; which happened a few years later in a moment minutes away from her death when she was losing consciousness permanently after having fulfilled her terrible duty to her world; that was the moment that Wonderland used to bring her, and it had done so in the physical and mental state she was when she had passed by the rabbit´s hole, hiding the files or "memories" of the rest of her past/future in the back of her mind by the A.I. of her suit (which maybe was not a basic AI as she had always though), only to be decrypted and replayed by whatever defrag the Jabberwocks attack had caused.

All the time she had spent in this place had been under the firm belief that she was going back to her world to finish her self-imposed mission, but in truth that mission had already been completed and a chance for avoiding an even bigger destruction to her world had been granted at a terrible cost. She didn't feel guilt or shame, she had done what was needed to be done. If anything, she felt void but free, and a bit restless because there was nothing else to do anymore regarding herself or her home world. Still, she could not say that her time in Wonderland had been in vain, not for her and not for this world. She had learned lots and had enjoyed practically every moment of her stay, and this world had gotten improvements from all her works and plots if not just the traditional mana from a foreigner. It had been a somewhat fair exchange, fairer for Wonderlands side.

The pull of gravity reminded her that she wasn´t in her world anymore. She was here, in Wonderland, a strangely rational and logical place despite its seemingly mad ways if you cared to take a closer look; she was in the castle of the country of Diamond, in the middle of a combat zone and falling towards the jaws of a being made by the hatred, fear and despair of foreigners and the stolen lives of the inhabitants of this world.

Looking down she saw her precious faction fighting bellow; and the roleholders, whatever they were here for, were here too. She was not alone and that was a very weird sensation for her; it was warm and surreal to know that there was someone out there caring. She didn't want any of them to die uselessly for something as stupid as caring... but she would be lying if she denied that it had moved her steel cold heart. Last time she had felt that, had been with certain Russian guy she admittedly came to "love", at least to her standards, even if she didn't realized it until later, once he was dead; after that, it took time and many suicidal missions for her to move on completely, but she had come to terms with herself and had continued her way. Seeing his ghost or clon or whatever here shouldn't have affected her, but… her curiosity had won and a second was all it took for her to decide that she needed to know; the urgency of finding out filled her. She totally, absolutely and compulsorily needed to know if it was true, if he was really here. But that was not all; first and foremost she didn't want anyone to die uselessly either. She had already brought down an apocalypse to one world and wasn't in the mood to cause another in a world that she had come to like and enjoy so much. And for that, she needed to survive a little longer.

The sound of the roaring bellow made her focus on the powerful jaws waiting for her. She didn't care if she died, either in this battle or by her own hand after it, but she would do everything in her power to not let those she cared about get killed. She had played an indirect part in the release of the Jabberwocky and she was going to do what she could to clean the mess.

As she was falling down like a meteor shard, automatically she changed her position in the air using her suit´s calculations of trajectory, acceleration and gravity, she entwined her hands together and unleashed her arm blades to make they form a double long blade. She positioned herself to use the impulse of her fall and strike, and avoiding a bite she stroke in the corner of the Jabberwocky´s mouth and slid down, with her blades cutting the fearsome beast in canal all the way down from its jaws and along its throat till she reached the belly, ripping it open and spilling up tendrils of darkness that could pose as guts, getting covered in the process with the thick black, oily substance that was the Jabberwocky's blood.

(**_Nothing from wonderland could hurt it… but I´m not from this world, right?) _**She dropped to the floor while the huge behemoth fell behind her, causing a dust cloud to rise and the castle to shake from its weight hitting the ground. Even though adrenaline was still running in her system, she was still emotionally drained and the moment of absolute curiosity had disappeared, leaving her stoic, hallowed and way too tired.

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_-Boss!_ – Aria was engulfed in Wedge´s embrace, whom got himself covered in the black and slurry substance that covered her, but he didn't care. Soon the hug was joined by Biggs`s and his barrage of questions inquiring on her health and safety. She just responded with a grunt but didn't break the hug.

_-Lady Aria!_ - The rest of the partitura joined the trio; Lily was crying tears of relief and Nora was talking nonstop about how glad they were that their dear boss was safe, both girls hugged her too and even the quiet Balzac and the psychopathic Alhambra included themselves in the reunion. Yet, while shyly blushing at such display of care, all she managed to do was utter a dry "Report" order. She didn't know how to act in these situations. Emotional stuff was definitely not her thing, however she did appreciate it, it was nice and warm, and unlike many of the hypocritical experiences that were the rule in her world, this was real. They did care.

Nora laughed a bit at her boss´s cute flushing face. She reported briefly and acutely what had happened since they crossed the mirror to get to her, which made Aria blush shyly a bit more to the partitura´s delight. Then Nora came to the part where Nightmare and Grey appeared – "… _Those roleholders came to look for you and apparently so did the rest of them. Something about clocks not getting repaired…"_

-_Did they? – _Aria looked tired and haunted but as paranoid as always, she considered with suspicion that if any role holders were here, was only because of Julius was not able to repair the clocks until she said so. Quite frankly she had totally forgotten about that.

_-They DID come for you! And so do we! – _Lily, being an expert on emotional stuff, understood what her boss didn't. She had written the pink novels regarding the romantic adventures of the foreigner and people from this world, and had a better grip than most on the love feelings contrived by the game. Mentally, she was screaming like a rabid, crazy fangirl; if they got back home she´d have enough material to make another series of those pink novels, but for now she needed to let her boss understand that the roleholders and everyone wanted her for more than the issue of fixing the clocks, and maybe, just maybe "ship" her with someone. She knew Aria needed a bit of "deep" love and she was more than willing to play matchmaker. Her poor boss was a complete blockhead when it came to that stuff._ - We were so worried boss. But they were too, and not just because of the clocks, they did all they could to find a way to come here for you... It may be hard to believe because of the game, but they DO care about you. – __The romantic airheaded girl put her hands together in a pleadly manner, knowing that Aria was prone to actually listen to the lullaby when they asked nicely -Please boss, give them at least a chance to speak. _

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_Aria rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. She did and didn't want to see the guys; she irrationally wanted to see them, she had passed very good times with them and she had come to appreciate them and their company (and the money she got by working for them) and maybe, just maybe, while she had been recovering recently she had tough that perhaps she had reacted so badly because she felt betrayed; just when she had decided to give the game a chance everyone had jumped up for Alice and sent her into a suicidal mission, it had hurt a tad bit. She may lack long term feelings but she did have emotions, and she... well, during her stay in wonderland she had progressively grown fond of a few persons, some more and some less, including certain roleholders, and right now she felt a weird lump in her throat and stomach, a cold sweat running down her spine at they being here. She felt a sort of heat reach her cheekbones and her heart was beating fast, she was anxious and could not compute why, because on the other part she was also paranoid about what they wanted really wanted with her; she was a proved person of mass destruction that had caused a sort of apocalypse in her own world. So why would they be here for anything nice when she had done nothing but cause trouble? Where they here to kill her? Judge her? Capture and torture her? They were all capable of pretty nasty stuff and she had _basically help the start of a civil war, destroyed part of the amusement park, made them own her a wish with the potential of making them her b***** (like she did with Sydney), was potentially driving their world to extinction from the clocks not being repaired, send their precious Alice to the place she fears most... But… what did she had to lose? Just until a minute or so ago she learned that her purpose in her world was over, before that she had as priority keeping herself alive; now it didn't matter anymore. So she didn't have anything to lose if she listened to them, right?

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_-Its true. – _Nora proceeded to hang from her boss´s shoulders and team tag with Lily because she had secretly read the pink novels and had wanted to see some real romantic action from her boss too; she knew that her words would be of value in this team-attack, she and Lily were of the few people whose advise was paid heed by the stubborn foreigner–_ They even refrained from killing us just because of you. _

_-Fine, I´ll listen to what they have to say…. Wait… What!? Ill rip anyone if they so much as…- _Aria´s firsts closed with force and she huffed and growled; a bit of emotion seemed to return to her pale and tired looking frame, and to the lullaby this little gesture of anger was of the best compliments she could have ever give them, because it was of the few occasions that she showed them that she cared about them and their lives; which was true, because for the first time in all her life, she felt what was akin to understanding the meaning of the word "family" .

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Aria looked around to see which roleholders were there, but her eyes widened with a true spark of fear when she noticed that the barrier was still standing. She hurriedly started writing a note in the small notebook she´d been using at the library and then moved her hand to the dial in her neck piece to amplify her voice and start barking orders - _Divide in cell units! Prepare for fast anarchy formation changes! Half moon tactic in two lines with me as axis! Fast! Diamonds, separate along the formed units! Get ready everyone. It's not over yet!_

Her orders came just in time to allow her own corps to get prepared and take positions in a half moon silhouette formation with her at the center; there were two lines, one taking care of the rear by facing the barrier and another one at the front to face the Jabberwocky, whose humongous corpse dissolved into swirling dust and dark tendrils of a smoke so thick that it looked almost liquid. The tentacles of darkness moved around wildly while joining together to take again the form of the terrible draconic creature. Aria´s forces and the roleholders were scared; this beast had consumed thousands of lives of both faceless and roleholders alike trough the passage of time. It could be stalled, but it could not be killed by them and they have no way to trap it this time. However, they had two foreigner, one capable of fighting and another one that could use the winxy pistol.

Aria was getting ready too and was very damn proud of her faction. She had trained them herself and knew what they were capable off; They may not have military discipline because she valued initiative and adaptability more, but she had made sure that they were capable of working in packs or solo if needed and had even prepared for a situation that required large scale fighting. If things resembled their owners then the lullaby was a reflection of the crazy but versatile foreigner. This would be an ultimate test of survival, resilience and strength, and there was no option to fail. She had to take her chances and set in motion as many plans as she could or everyone would die. She tried to consider all factors around into a mental matrix, taking into account the place and general environment, herself and her forces, the roleholders, etc. After estimating a few actions that could be done, she called out Armalite, who at the moment looked to be around 12 years old, putting something in his hands she told him something in the ear and sent him off.

The kid looked at her with surprise but determination; she was entrusting him with something very important and he would make sure he succeeded whatever it took; he was not strong, but what she had asked, required him to be nimble, fast and swift, and Armalite was that thanks to him having been trained at the circus for acrobatics. He took what she gave him inside his robes and ran away from Aria and what would become the center of the combat zone.

Aria was joined by the partitura in their team formation at her sides, now she could start fighting too in conjunction to her forces, and as soon as Armalite was out of the way and on the run to reach his objective, she took out an automatic rifle from her weapons bracelet and raise her gun waiting to give the order to start the operation.

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_-What´s the plan? – _Nora was ready to take command of the rear line if needed.

_-Were taking this down of course_ – Alhambra shroud his shoulders with arrogance with his weapons out, more than ready to go happy trigger providing coverture fire.

_-I cant believe I agree with you Alhambra_ – Balzac tilted his head to one side and got ready too.

-_This will make for an excellent story! –_ Lily said, thinking on possible main plots for more pink novels or their sequels, or even a few new core ones after seeing the roleholders from Diamond. And to her surprise, her boss passed her the notebook where she wrote something earlier as if reading the fangirl´s mind about the scientific notes that the foreigner insisted be included in all the pink novels. -_Boss?_

_-I discovered more stuff here. This are the notes. –_ Aria winked and Lily put away the notebook in her bag fully expectant to get with this and survive to write more good stuff.

-_Lets show everyone what we are capable off! –_Biggs grinned, knowing full well that they were the ones that would take care of this and not the roleholders outside the barrier. They were the ones by their boss´s side.

_-You ready_? – Wedge was at Aria´s other side and asked with concern, unlike Bigg´s enthusiasm he was adamant about Aria´s state; she didn't look completely there yet; true, she was ready to fight, but… but something was off. And no matter how strong she was, he was completely conscious that emotionally speaking she was probably a mess inside.

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Aria nodded but didn't respond to Wedge; carefully she looked at everyone to acknowledge them and nodded her head approvingly. Then she turned in the general direction of the roleholders and screamed to them:_- "If I deal with this it will cost you! "– _She was still tired, wounded and drained, she sounded hollow but with the just the bare hint humor and confidence behind her words she let them know that she was willing and ready to fight.

_-YOU! BLOODY MERCENARY! – __Like with Peter´s outburst, s_ome false but relieved exclamations at her greedy antics came from the roleholders at the other side of the barrier.

-_Seriously White, you should be happy that someone that can hurt the Jabberwocky is willing to fight it…even if at a price._ – Sydney was edgy, not only where they uselessly trying to kill something unkillable. He was forced to team up with the insufferable white rabbit! – _And what does this wrecked man faking an accent had to do with anything?_ - He wanted to know it in detail. He didn't knew how but it had been apparent that such act had made her react and perform a feat so impressive as defeating the Jabberwocky was.

_-Hey! Im here y´know! - _ Jericho hit the barrier with all his force using his gravedigger´s heavy shovel with little effect. The darkness did retreat for a moment, letting him see all the faceless moving around to take position under her command. He really wanted to know what the hell was going on with that girl, the only sure thing he knew about her was that she was a foreigner and that she seemed to know him. When she had locked eyes with him he had felt so many things from her that his clock almost stopped from the weight of her gaze. He had seen loneliness, remembrance, skepticism, weariness and a void surrounding her as vast as the sky; but he had also seen determination and bravery when she started falling. When she slayed the dragon, and after seeing the other roleholders (even Joker of all people) act with such will to aid her, the one with determination ended up being him. He wanted to know this girl, and he would ask her personally who she was if they survived this.

The roleholders had been fighting the constantly raising barrier and eliminating the many shadow copies that emerged from it; they could see bits of what happened inside the patio turned battle arena, but they were unable to cross it, round it or go above it. Not only did the blockade actively attacked them, it also became taller or ticker to respond to their actions and prevent them from reaching her. But her little mercenary outburst had been relieving. She was clearly not fine, there was no way anyone would be fine after that no matter how seemly unfeeling they were; but she at least was willing to fight back. And her little stunt when falling towards the dragon´s jaws and slaying it along her way to the ground had been a beautiful, breathtaking action.

They were very conscious of what they were facing, but they had been a lot more worried about her. The few of them that had been entitled to know what memories the Jabberwocky had opened for her, had comprehended how devastating her past was and to what lengths she had gone. It had been so amazingly terrible and brutal that some of the roleholders shed a few tears despite themselves, perhaps because she would or could not shed them and someone had to, and if they could do something they would. Personally, each one decided to do something if they survived the Jabberwocky´s onslaught and ever got the chance or the grace to be near her again. Through some of their minds passed the idea to force or help her forget, but it was dismissed quickly; her own nature would drive her to search and find the truth, and even if the truth was so dreadfully horrible, the implications of lies here were far worse unless she personally chose to forget. If they all survived this, it would be her choice. With foreigners it was always so and they could only offer support and comfort.

It also was amazing the grade of aid those faceless provided her, and it was clear that those insignificant cards were loyal and close to her somehow. They were glad that someone was there to serve at least as bait; Still, it surprised the roleholders how trustworthy and how well she seemed to get along with those cards. There was no denying that (most) some of the roleholders felt jealous at her apparent closeness and trust with those faceless, specially the two males that had been there with her since the beginning of the fight, and it worried them (and hurt their pride) her acceptance of the faceless Nightmare it had been clear; for a person minutes away from dying, time was an agony, hours meant nothing and every second was precious and inestimable. Such reflected well in her dispositions. He had misunderstood her; but how could she be protected from those terrible memories if he had been incapable of reading them!?

Time stood still when the dark molded beast reformed. The place shocked again with its roar of fury. The barrier seemed to sank and get lower to form many humanoid shadows that started attacking everyone inside and outside the barrier besides the draconic shadows of the Jabberwocky attacking the roleholders. Those mocking shadows were the after images of destroyed clocks that would never be repaired, these were the remains of all those devoured by the Jabberwocky. The real battle was about to commence.

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**What you think of this episode?**

**Next episode is to be an epic battle (or at least I will try to make it so). **


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